Introduction

    Welcome to the Talorian system. The Talorian system is a general system based on the Cyberpunk 2020 system. There are several alterations throughout the system.  This is also my generalized replacement for the storyteller system.  I have hopefully captured the strengths of both of these systems.
    The Talorian system is a basic system for use in the World of Dimness.  There are many viable types of game for this world.  This system defines the common system for use with all the worlds.  Different types of game will have unique addons for use with those types of game. (For examples of game timeperiod and game character see the main World of Dimness page )

Characters

    Before creating a character you should have a firm idea of what your character should be like.  Once you have the concept fleshed out there are three primary aspects to the character creation process.  Statistics, Skills, Backgrounds and Freebie points.

Statistics
    Statistics represent the character's talent and generalized knowledge of an area of endeavor.
    Before beginning a Talorian system game the GM should carefully consider what type of power level they want in the game.  There are 10 statistics in Talorian system though two are optional depending on time period and setting.  Statistic cost:
 

Statistic Level	Cost
1-7	1 stat point per point
8-9	2 stat points per point
10-11	3 stat points for 10
12-14	4 stat points per point
15 - up	5 stat points per point

These are my suggestions for character power level:
 

Character's Place	Basic Stats Points *	Basic Skill  Points **	max skill level
Major Hero	80	75	10
Major Supporting Character	70	65	10
Minor Hero	75	60	8
Minor Supporting Character	60	50	8
Average	50	45	7

* In Shadowrun world and any game where supernatural aspects are going to be relevant to the game it is suggested that the character's have both Technical and Magical ratings.  Add 4 to the number of points given.
** Add Reflexes + Intelligence to the number of skill points given.

Statistics List

Intelligence
    This is the measure of problem solving ability, figuring out problems, noticing things, and remembering information.  Almost every character type will need a high Intelligence. ( Intelligence Skills )

Reflexes
    This is the combined index, covering not only your basic dexterity, but also how your level of physical coordination will affect feats of driving, piloting, fighting and athletics.  Characters who intend to engage in combat should always invest in a high reflexes. ( Reflexes Skills )

Will
    This index measures how well the character stands up to stress, fear, pressure, physical pain and/or torture.  In determining your ability to fight despite pain Will is essential.  It is also a measure of how "together" the character is and how tough he appears to others. (Will Skills )
    This statistic also controls a substatistic called willpower.  Base willpower is equal to 1/2 the character's Will round up.  Willpower is spent for various affects.

• Supernaturals may use focused Will (willpower) to power supernatural abilities.
• A character may spend willpower to increase a single nonresistance, noninitiative die roll by +5
• A character may spend a willpower point to increase any resistance roll by +10

The Will Statistic also has one additional substatistic called Sanity. Sanity is equal to the value of Will. Each time the character is faced with the horrific (from their experience) there is a set number of 1/10ths of a sanity point they can lose.  Each success they roll on a will roll reduces the amount of sanity lost by 1/10th. For each 1 point of sanity lost give the character one insanity. The lower the character's current sanity the more severe the insanity gained. However, the character becomes jaded and loses sanity much less easily the more points they have lost. If the character's sanity goes to zero they are completely insane (though not necessarily unplayable)

Sanity table
 

Sanity lost	Character Concept	Situation Concept (examples only)
0/10	Highly jaded supernatural hunter, or supernatural	Unfamiliar and confusing situation with strongly supernatural overtones
1/10	No or little supernatural experience	Unfamiliar and confusing situation with strongly supernatural overtones
1/10	Highly jaded supernatural hunter, or supernatural	Attacked by familiar or reasonable supernatural from your experience
2/10	No or little supernatural experience	Attacked by familiar or reasonable supernatural from your experience (vampire from horror novels)
2/10	Highly jaded supernatural hunter, or supernatural	Attacked and almost killed by familiar or reasonable supernatural from your experience
3/10	No or little supernatural experience	Attacked and almost killed by familiar or reasonable supernatural from your experience
3/10	Highly jaded supernatural hunter, or supernatural	Attacked by and almost killed by completely alien horror and survived by luck
4/10	No or little supernatural experience	Attacked by and almost killed by completely alien horror and survived by luck
5/10	No or little supernatural experience	Attacked by and almost killed by completely alien horror and survived by luck and don't know why.

Technical
    This statistic defines how well you relate to mechanical and technological items.  This statistic is used any time a person is fixing or creating technology.  It also includes the use of unfamiliar technical items. See technical skills .

Magical
    This statistic defines a character's understanding of the basic supernature of the world.  This includes the ability to appease supernaturals gain favor of and avoid difficulties with the supernature of the world.  The best example of this as an statistic is the peasants as compared to the lords of England.  The peasants knew how to avoid difficulty with the fae but knew very little of the rest of the world and had little book smarts.  The lords on the other hand were educated at least somewhat but wouldn't know how to appease the brownies in their castle.  This statistic has a strong affect on the luck statistic.   The magical statistic should never be included in a game that does not include supernatural elements.
Many supernatural's abilities use magical as the statistic for some of their supernatural abilities. However there are also several basic skills that use magical.  ( see magical skills )

Luck
    This is that intangible "something" that throws the balance of events in your favor.  Your luck represents how many points you may use each game to influence the outcome of a critical event.  To use luck you add 2 to each die roll per point of luck used.  You must declare this before a roll is made.  Luck is restored at the end of a game session.
    Luck rolls may also occasionally be called for to decide whether something occurs in your favor.  "Bob is he wearing the pistol on his right or left".  This aspect always uses the base luck rating all spent luck does not subtract from this roll.

Attractiveness
    This is how good looking you are.  This is not completely based on the character's physical attractiveness but is also based on body language and way of moving. ( Attractiveness Skills )

Movement Allowance
    Movement allowance affects how fast your character can run and how far he can jump.  There are two substatistics found under Movement Allowance:  Run and Leap
Run
    To determine the character's run multiply your movement allowance by 3.  This is how far the character can move in meters during a combat round (3.2 seconds).  The character can run three times that distance in a 10 second turn.
Leap
    The leap statistic is equal to Run divided by 4.  This how far the character can leap with a running start.
Swim
    The character's basic speed at swimming is equal to movement allowance.  The character can move that distance in meters during 1 combat round (3.2 seconds).  The character can move three times that distance in a 10 second turn.

Empathy
    This statistic represents how well the character relates to other living beings.  This is a measure of charisma and sympathetic emotions.  Empathy is crucial when leading, convincing, seducing, or perceiving emotional undercurrents.  Empathy also defines how human the character is as opposed to being a monster with little human connection. ( Empathy Skills )
    Empathy has a substatistic called Humanity.  Humanity is equal to 10 times the Empathy statistic and certain things subtract from the character's humanity.
    Empathy also has one other Statistic modified by Empathy.
    Vitae is a supernatural aspect that all beings have (though vampires have their vitae tied directly to the blood).  Anytime an Empathy point is lost subtract one from the character's vitae pool. It is the character's connection to the mystical.  The basic Vitae pool is equal to 10 (though some creatures and merits give a larger starting pool).  If there is no supernatural aspect to a game there is no need to use the vitae rating at all. Vitae regenerates naturally at a rate of 1 point per minute.
    Vitae can be spent to do the following:

• power magical spells (when magus are allowed in a game)
• power some supernatural abilities

Body has the following affect on the character's combat abilities:
 

Body points	Description	Modifier to any damage taken	Modifier to damage done *
2 points	very weak	-0	-2
3-4 points	weak	-1	-1
5-7 points	average	-2	+0
8-9 points	strong	-3	+1
10 points	very strong	-4	+2
11-12	superhuman	-5	+4
13-14	superhuman	-5	+6
15-20	superhuman	-6	+8
20-25	superhuman	-7	+10
+5	superhuman	-1 additional / +5	+2 additional / +5

* The character must be using a weapon that physical power can effect.  This includes most melee weapons, and a selfpowered ranged weapons that have been sized for the character (bows).  The additional damage cannot exceed 1/2 the maximum damage of the weapon. example a knife which does 1d6 damage can only gain 3 extra points of damage from strength.

Skills
    Skills are used to enhance your character's ability to perform certain tasks.  They represent the things you've specifically taken the time to learn and possibly master.
    Skills may be bought over ten but the level ten must be bought a second time and then the chart continues as normal until 15 which must also be bought twice.  Each 5 after ten must be bought twice.
    Example Bork the warrior wants a melee skill of 11.  Since this example has an unlimited number of points lets assume his skill is only currently 9. To go from a 9 to a 10 would cost 90 points.  To go from 10 to 10+ would cost 100 points.  Then he can go to 11 by paying 100 points.  When he gets to 15 he pays 150 points to go from 15 to 15+ and then the process continues.  To say the least very few individuals have a skill much over 10.  If by some chance a GM allowed you to buy skills that high then the abilities would have to be bought twice with any types of skill points.
    Skills also include multipliers to their cost.  This means that to purchase this skill you must spend the multiplier points for each point.  This includes for all points spent including beginning points.  Multipliers are listed on the skill list.  Example Bob the Evil Warrior wishes to have a Cybertech of +4 (all the better to keep his cyberlegs in repair) because it has a x2 multiplier to gain this level of skill will cost 8 skill points, to increase it later it will cost 80 IP (instead of the normal 40 IP for a skill of that level). To buy skills over ten still uses the same rule even if there is already a multiplier.
    These skills listed are the primary skills that will be chosen from for normal characters.  Each different supernatural group may have a few skills of their own that only they can have.

Attractiveness Skills

Personal Grooming
    This is the skill of knowing how to maximize your own attractiveness by use of makeup and clothing and hair styling.

Wardrobe and Style
    The skill of knowing the styles appropriate for a given situation.  This is culture specific.  For different cultures use the Social skill.

Body Skills

Endurance
    This is the ability to withstand hardship or pain  Especially over long periods of time.  Endurance checks could be made whenever a character must continue to be active after a long period without food, sleep or drink.

Strength Feat
    The possessor of this skill has practiced the art of bending bars, ripping phone books and other similarly uses of testosterone.  This skill adds to any strength feats but does not add to damage of any sort.

Swimming
    This skill is required to know how to swim.

Will/Willpower Skills

Interrogation
    The skill of drawing information from a subject and forcing information out of him.  There are bonuses applied whenever the subject is scared or nervous about you.  Occasionally Body may add a bonus.

Intimidate
    The skill of getting people to do what you want by force of personality or physical coercion. There are bonuses applied whenever the subject is scared or nervous around you.  Occasionally Body may add a bonus.

Resist Torture/Drugs
    Characters with this skill are especially toughened against interrogation, torture, mind control drugs or mind control effects.  A successful use of this skill automatically increases the difficulty of any interrogation roll against the character.
 

Empathy Skills

Animal Training (2): You can train animals to obey your commands.  A +2 could train a dog to do a few basic tricks at +6 you can train wild animals while +9 could train most animals to do anything.

Group Leadership (3):  This ability allows sway the masses and is most appropriate for musicians, early politicians (say Greek), or speech makers. This skill allows one sway over current level x200 people.  How extreme the change is depends on an Empathy + Group Leadership roll.  When under the musician's sway the crowd will be easily persuaded to to act on his suggestions.  Group leadership has little effect on less than 10 people because it takes into account group dynamics and groupthink.

Human Perception The skill of detecting lies, evasions, moods and other emotional clues from others.

Interview The skill of eliciting interesting anecdotes from an interview subject.  This information will be of a more nonspecific personal nature rather than the specific knowledge (distinguishing this skill from Interrogation).

Leadership The skill of leading and convincing small groups of people (10 or less) to follow you.

Oratory The skill of speaking in public.  Anytime a character has an oratory of +6 may add one to the Group Leadership roll.  The character must have Group Leadership for this effect.

Seduction The skill of forming and maintaining romantic relationships (this includes your abilities as a lover).  This skill may be used to determine whether or not players can form relationships with NPCs. Bonuses may be added for well roleplayed situations.

Social The ability to deal with social situations, like knowing what fork to use and when to not tell that ethnic joke.  The social skill is culture specific.  If the character has anthropology they may add that skill to resist modifiers. A character may take other culture social skills that will not use the modifiers listed below.  However, taking this skill must be justified by interaction with that culture.  Example Biznark the Andronian is a three eyed trishaped alien who smells vaguely like fish.  If it wishes to interact with humans socially without a +15 to his difficulty he has to take Social (human).
 

Difficulty Modifier	Situation
+3	Related but different culture that interacts
+5	Related but different culture that does not interact
+8	Vastly different culture of same species
+12	Alien culture with different species
+15	Alien culture without even a related form

Persuasion & Fast Talk The ability to talk others into doing what you want.  This may be used individually or on large groups.

Perform The skill of trained actors, singers, etc.  It is the ability to look good on stage.

Xeno perception (3) The ability to detect lies, evasions, moods and other emotional clues from alien species.

Intelligence Skills
    Some intelligence skills may be disallowed due to specific time and place

Accounting The ability to balance books, juggle numbers, create budgets and handle day to day business operations.

Anthropology (2)  The knowledge of human cultures, habits and customs.  Unlike Streetwise (which is culture specific) and Social (which only covers what you should do in a given situation) Anthropology covers general  customs and background of a culture.  Anthropology can help remove negative modifiers to Streetwise and Social due to cultural differences.

Archaeology (2) Allows dating and identification of artifacts from past cultures and detecting of fakes.  Having thoroughly inspected a site this skill allows one to deduce the purposes and way of life of those who left the remains.

Astrogation (3)  The ability to find a particular planet or system in space.  This skill takes weeks to do without a navigation computer.

Astronomy  The user knows how to find and which stars are overhead.  In space traveling times this skill is also the general knowledge of how the galaxy and universe is put together.  Though for true navigation one must possess astrogation.

Awareness/Notice This is the equivalent of the trained observer skill, allowing characters to notice or be aware of clues, shadowers and other events.

Biology General knowledge of animals, plants, and other biological systems.

Botany The general knowledge of plants and plant identification.

Chemistry The required skill for mixing chemicals and creating compounds.

Composition The required skill for writing songs, articles, or stories.

Cooking: This is the ability to cook a good meal.  A +2 is someone who knows how to make a few things and doesn't burn them at +6 you could work professionally while a +9 is one of the world's best.

Cryptography:  This ability is the ability to create and decifer codes.  At +2 the character is a weekend codebreaker a +6 is one who could work for a secret organization while at +9 your one of the best.

Diagnose Illness The skill of critically diagnosing symptoms and medical problems.  +3 is RN while +5 is trained physician. Diagnose Illness is species specific. Though at gm's option the character may roll for some species with a modifier.

Education & General Knowledge This skill is the equivalent of basic public school.  Any skill obtainable with general education can be rolled with education general knowledge though at a considerable penalty to the roll +1 basic grade school, +3 is high school equivalency, +5 is about two years of college, +6 is college graduate, +7 is a completed masters degree and +8 is completed doctorate.

Expert The expert skill is a catchall category for other skills you can take expert multiple times in multiple subjects.  This is for those postage stamp experts or roleplaying game experts.

Gamble The skill of knowing how to make bets, figure odds and play games of chance successfully.

Geology A functional knowledge of rocks,  minerals, and geological structures.

Herbalism (3) This skill is an extensive knowledge of the properties of plants and soluable liquids in the everyday world. At +2 you could put together a poltice that your grandmother showed you at +6 you have an extensive knowledge of the plants, at +9 people travel for miles for your expert advice.

Hide/Evade The skill of losing pursuers, covering tracks, and otherwise evading people.

History   The knowledge of facts and figures of past events.  In game play this might be used to determine if a character is familiar with a particular clue related to a past event.  History tends to have specialty areas where difficulty is higher depending on the character's past.

Know Language This knowledge is the ability to communicate in a tongue foreign to your own.  At +2 you can get by in tourist speech.  At +3 you actually can read slowly (this only counts in game situations where literacy is the norm otherwise a know language written skill must be bought).  At +6 and above you are fluent.  At +8 and above you speak like a native if you wish.  Each person starts with one language at +8 for free (the native tongue).  Different languages are easier or harder depending on their linguistic family (there will be a chart talking about this in the general rules). If literacy is the norm each person starts with a written language skill at +5. If literacy is not the norm then each language has a separate skill to learn the written form.

Law  This is knowledge of the law and how to avoid trouble with the law.  It is essential to any police force member.

Library Search The skill of researching a problem with the written sources present in that timeperiod.  In the modern age this would be WWW searches and library databases and search engines.

Lore This is the catchall category for lore and information about different people that are not covered under archeology and anthropology.  If you are part of the group that is defined by the lore the cost is x2 while if you are not part of the group the cost is x3.  (some examples are below)

Immortal Lore -- You know about the history and proposed powers and weaknesses of immortals.
Mummy Lore -- You know about the history and proposed powers and weaknesses of the mummys
Vampiric Lore -- You know about the history and proposed powers and weaknesses of the vampires
Werecreature Lore -- You know about the history and proposed powers and weaknesses of werecreatures
FBI Lore -- You know about the history, legal powers, legal abuses of the FBIMathematics The skill of understanding calculations and mathematical formulas

Navigation   This the ability to find one's way.  Unfamiliar environments are slightly harder to find one's way (storyteller discresion)

Occult  This is a general knowledge of supernatural lore.  The information is based on the character's society. Characters in games that do not have supernatural elements may still take the skill though it will only be a character quirk in most cases.

Physics The ability to calculate physical principles such as gas pressures, mechanical energies, etc. This skill requires basic mathematics at +3.  The timeperiod defines the physics laws that the possessor of this skill knows.

Programming The required skill to write or rewrite computer programs. The timeperiod this was learned in greatly affects the character's programming ability.

Shadow/Track The skill of shadowing and following people.

Streetwise
    This ability is knowledge of the seedy side of life -- where to get illegal and contraband things, how to talk to the criminal element, and how to avoid bad situations n bad neighborhoods. This skill is most accurate in cultures that you know about.

Stock Market The ability to play the stock market engage in routine stock transactions and manipulate stocks profitably.  This skill cannot be taken unless there is a stock market.

Survival The ability to survive in a given type of environment.  The environments are: arctic, desert, forest, space, tropical, tundra, water.  There is crossover among the skills depending on situation.  Special survival skills may be taken on planets with even more bizarre environments.  Also other planets other than your native planet have a minus to the lore due to other differences. Example: on Earth the earth worm makes a handy (if untasty treat) for the starving forest dweller.  However, taking advantage of this same treat on Gamma Centari could lead to a painful end.  The earthworm looking creature is the larval form of a parasite that causes paralysis and uses the host creature to make its new body by disolving (slowly) the host's flesh stomach out.  This process takes about three days (two of which you are alive).  At the end of which the now 50 pound predator can take down a sabertoothed tiger in a fair fight.

System Knowledge Basic knowledge of the geography of the Net.  This includes the early Internet, the World Wide Web, the Cyberpunk Net, as well as the WEB of the far future.

Teaching The skill of imparting knowledge to someone else.  The character who tries to teach another a skill rolls. Int + Teaching (difficulty 10).  The taught gets 1 IP per point over the difficulty of the roll per lesson (up to a maximum of the learner's intelligence).  The teacher must have a higher skill in the skill being taught than the learner. The teacher can only effectively teacher a number of students equal to double their teaching level after that for each five students subtract 2 from the IP gained by each individual student. The time required per lesson varies depending on the skill.

Xenoanthropology (3) The knowledge of alien cultures, habits and customs.  Unlike Streetwise (which is culture specific) and Social (which only covers what you should do in a given situation) Xenoanthropology covers general  customs and background of a culture.  Xenoanthropology can help remove negative modifiers to Streetwise and Social due to cultural differences.

Xenobiology (3) The knowledge of alien lifeforms, biological processes and their relation to both their and other environments.

Zoology Knowledge of lifeforms, biological processes and their relation to the environment.

Magical Skills

Enigmas:  This is a basic understanding of the supernatural world and its mysteries  Whereas, occult is specific knowledge enigmas is a general pattern of knowledge when there are no clues.  At +2 you are a typical newager at +6 people seek you out for your knowledge where at +9 you know well enough to not allow others to know what you know.

Fortunes:  This skill is a basic ability to bring oneself good fortune and avoid bad fortune by understanding the things to avoid.  At +2 you know to give brownies to a fairy while at +6 you know which spirits to not mess with and which ones are friendly.  At +9 everyone thinks your always lucky because you have the favor of most of the supernatural world. Once per day the character may roll Fortunes at a varying difficulty depending on situation. For each success give the character back one luck point.

Fortune Telling:  Fortune Telling is the Ability to read the cards and signs to tell the future.  A +2 is a novice where a +6 you could be a professional fortune teller +9 is the ultimate fortune teller.  This ability can also be used along side Persuade FastTalk to convince someone that you know what you are talking about.

Rituals (3): The skill required to cast thaumaturgical rituals.

Ritual Design (5): The skill of designing and creating new rituals.  This skill requires that the character have a rituals skill of at least +4.  No character may create rituals without this skill.  It cannot be learned except from a practitioner (though it can be improved without one).  No ritual over the character's level in this skill may be created.

Spell Craft (3):  This is the ability to recognize the way a magical spell is flowing and guess what sort of affect it might have.  The character must be able to detect the flows in some way most spell casters can to some extent.  A +2 has spent some time studying it while a +6 is good enough to examine magical items, a +9 knows what you want to do before you do it and usually has some chance of countering it.

Thaumaturgy (2):  The skill of using the abilities related with the primary paths of thaumaturgy.  Each primary path is a skill all its own the most common primary paths are:  Blood, Demonic, Earthly, Godly, Spirit and Vitae.

Reflex Skills

Archery  The skill required for using bows, crossbows and other arrow based projectiles weapons.

Athletics This skill is required for accurate throwing, climbing, and balancing.  It combines the basic elements of most track programs.

Brawling The skill of fighting man to man with fist, feet, and other parts of the body.  When the Talorian Martial Arts system is being used Brawling has no special attacks or special maneuvers.  Add character's skill to effective body for purposes of damage modifers.

Combat Sense (3): This ability is based on the warrior's constant training.  The combat sense rating is added to all rolls which percieve danger or notice traps.  The combat sense rating also adds to the character's reaction roll in all combat turns.

Dance  This specific skill is needed to become a professional dancer.  The dancer's background defines the types of dancing they do most.

Dodge & Escape This skill is needed to dodge attacks and escape grapples. It is also the roll used to dodge most unexpected damaging things (falling rocks, jumping tourists, buses)

Driving This skill allows you to pilot basic ground vehicles.  Cars, vans, midsized trucks etc are included under this skill.

Fast-Draw:  A rather specialized skill that allows the quick removal/reloading of a weapon.  At +2 you were quick when playing cowboys and indians at +6 you could have been a gunslinger while at +9 you retired old from gunslinging.

Fencing  The mastery of swords, rapiers, monoblades, lazer blades, and vibroblades.

Handgun You must have this skill to effectively use handguns of any type, including cyberguns.This is the skill of effectively aiming, unloading and reloading a handgun.  This skill also includes basic care (though not repair) of the gun.

Heavy Weapons This skill is required for using grenade launchers, autocannons, catapults, heavy machine guns, missile and rocket launchers depending on time period.

Hover Vehicle  This is the operating of hover vehicles.  Including swoops, as well as ATV (All Terrain Vehicles) type vehicles.  This does not include the flying of high altitude hover air vehicles.

Martial Arts This is a multitude of martial arts skills purchased seperately.  When the Talorian martial arts system is used this gives certain martial arts bonuses.

Melee The ability to use knives, axes, clubs and other hand to hand weapons in combat.

Motorcycle This skill is required to operate motocycles, cyberbikes, and other two or three wheel vehicles.

Operate Heavy Machinery This skill is required to operate tractors, tanks and very large trucks and construction equipment.

Piloting The piloting skill must be bought seperately for each type of vehicle possessed.  Craft are broken into:  Gyro and Rotorcraft, Fixed Wing Aircraft, Dirigibles, Vectored Thrust Areodines, Local Space Vehicles, (Long range space flight piloting is a technical skill).

Gyro and Rotorcraft (3) includes all rotorwing aircraft including gyros, copters, and Ospreys
Fixed Wing (2) includes all fixed wing jets and light aircraft.  Ospreys may be flown with this skill but only in the straight ahead mode.
Dirigibles (2) includes the piloting of all lighter than air vehicles including blimps and balloons.
Vector Thrust Areodines (3) includes the flying of long range high altitude hover vehicles (space shuttle uses this technology).
Local Space Vehicles (3) this includes the flying of gravitational thrust vehicles within a local solar system.  Most future space ships include this technology as well as vector thrust technology for in altitude flight.  Both skills are required to fly in the two environments.

Rifle You must have this skill to effectively use rifles/shotguns effectively.

Skating  This skill is required to operate skateboards, skates, and bladed skates.  This skill also includes the hover variety of all of the named above.

Stealth The skill of hiding in shadows, moving silently evading guards etc.

Submachinegun You must have this skill to use effectively any submachine gun effectively.

Technical Skills

    Technical Skills are very strongly affected by timeperiod.  Each time has its own technical.  Each technical skill will be dated by time period and appropriate situation.
    Most Technical skills also have a separate design skill that goes with it though they are all listed here.  Design skills are 1 multiplier higher than the normal repair skill and require a +4 in the repair skill.

Aero Tech (2) This is the required skill for repairing fixed wing aircraft.

AI Programming (2) This skill is the skill of programming any machine with limited self awareness designed for the tasks.  It allows one to program into one of these machines personality engrams, and required skills and attributes.  For programming a true AI add the AI's Will to the difficulty of the programming.

AV Tech (3) This is the required skill for repairing all duct fan aerodyne vehicles.

Basic Tech (2) This is the skill of building and repairing simple mechanical and electrical devices such as car engines, television sets etc.

Biotech (3)  The use of nanotechnology and artificial life to enhance and increase the capabilities of other living things.

Blacksmith (2):  (400BCE-1200CE) This is the skill required to repair most simple mechanical objects such as wagons, horseshoes, swords, knives.

Computer This skill includes the basic use and functions of a computer.  This does not include programming at all but instead includes use of programs.

Computer Design (2) This skill includes the design of a computer system as a functioning whole.

Cryotank Operation  The required skill for operating repairing and maintaining suspension and body chilling devices.

Cyberdeck Design (2) The required skill for designing human computer interfaces like the cyberdecks found in the cyberpunk age.

CyberTech (2) The required skill for repairing and maintaining mechanical enhancements to the human body.

CyberTech Design (3)  This is the required skill for designing mechanical enhancements to the body.  One must have a CyberTech of at least +4 to have this skill.

Demolitions (2) The skill that covers the use of explosives, as well as knowing the strengths and weaknesses of particular explosives.

Disguise  The skill of disguising one's self.

Electronics  The required skill for repairing maintaining and modifying basic electronic equipment.

Electronic Security (2) The required skill for installing electronic surveying equipment, maintaining and breaking into electronic secured locations.

First Aid This skill allows one to bind wounds, stop bleeding and revive stunned characters.

Forgery The skill of copying and creating false documents and identifications.

Fusion Vehicle Repair (4) This skill is the repair of space capable vehicles.

Gyro Tech (3) The skill of maintaining and repairing rotorwing aircraft.

Interface (4): This ability is only viable after the advent of computer technology.  This ability adds to any rolls to program or control computers as well as any rolls to move about the Web.  In the cyberpunk age this allows the character to take control of nearby mechanical objects that are controlled by the interface (the cyberpunk age allows the character to access the Web menu and run Locate Remote, Run Software, Control Remote, Downlink, Load, Create, and Delete).  See the cyberpunk age Addon.

Jeweler (2): This is the skill of building and putting together jewelery.  At +2 you made a ring for yourself at +6 you can be a professional where at +9 people pay very good money for your wares.

Jury Rig (4): This is the general technical skill and allows the character to temporarily repair or alter anything for 1d6 turns per level of skill.  After the elapsed time the jury rig will break down. Usually destroying many of the parts used to make the jury rig.

Leatherworking: You are able to produce servicable items of leather.  At +2 you made a belt for yourself at +6 you could be a professional where at +9 you are an expert.

Locksmith (2)  This skill is an essential skill to the lockpick.  It is knowledge of locks and how to make and break them. For every two points in this skill the character adds one to their lock picking roll.

Medical Tech (3) This is the medical field this allows the character to use the current technology of the time to heal.  The age depends on how effective this is.  +2 to +3 is equivalent to a third year intern medical student while +5 to +6 is a beginning professional doctor. Medical tech adds to any first aid or diagnosis rolls the character makes.  Medical tech is normally based off of the Technical stat.  A person may also get a specialization under medical tech after they have reached +2 level. This specialization will add to medical tech rolls in that area of specialization.  The character once they reach level five in medical tech may add another species at level 5 for 100 IP.  The Medical Tech for the other species remains at level five unless they buy it further up by paying for a second medical tech. buying level 6.

Paint or Draw  The skill of producing painting or drawings.

Photography & Film The skill of producing both still photographs and moving film pictures.

Pharmaceuticals (2) The skill of manufacturing and designing drugs and medicines.

Pick Lock  This skill is required to pick locks or break into manually locked containers.

Pick Pocket The skill required to pick pockets without being noticed.

Play Instrument This skill is the ability to play instruments.  The character has 1 instrument per 2 points in this skill.  The character may also spend 20 IP to add an extra instrument.

Robotics (3) The ability to build, maintain and at higher levels to design robotic systems to fulfill a function.  This skill does not include the programming aspects.  Humaniform robots are not the only robots.

Space Flight (long range) (3)  This is the ability to pilot long range space flight depending on the technology involved in your people there are 4 different types of Long Range flight: (more long range space flights may be added at anytime)

Gate travel:  This technology uses the control of instantaneous space Gates.  This technology bends space within this alternate dimension until there is no space between.
DarkGate Travel:  This technology accesses the Umbra and uses its greater speed to travel through physical space.   WarpSpace:This technology transports the spacecraft to a universe called warp space.  In this universe the spacecraft can move much faster, however normal laws of distance space and time do have effect.
IonDrive: This technology is relatively slow.  This drive simply goes faster than light by supplying sufficient energy and has efficient energy collection devices while traveling so the craft's speed itself assists the energy needed to keep it moving. Ion Drive travel tops out at about 500 lightyears/year

Weaponsmith (2) The required skill for building, repairing and maintaining modern weapons of most types (blacksmith is required for swords, knives etc)

Freebie Points

    The next portion of character creation includes the spending of special points called freebie points.  The number of freebie points given out will vary depending on the game though the norm will be 15 points.  Also allowable things are different depending on the game.  Most Aspects are open, however, Special Aspects tend to be specific for a specific game.
 

Aspect	Freebie Point Cost	Special Aspects	Freebie Point Cost
Statistic	+3/point	Thaumaturgical primary path dot	14/dot or 10/dot clan
Skills	+2/point	Psychic Gift dot	GF/dot
Backgrounds	+1/dot (differ by type)	Cainite Vampire Discipline dot	clan 5/dot nonclan 7/dot 9/dot new
Merits and Flaws	by cost 10 point flaw limit	Werecreature Gift level	5/level
Willpower	+1/dot up to 5 +2/dot after five	Thaumaturgical Path	GF-1/dot
Rage (with Werecreatures)	+2/dot	Quickening (immortal)	7/dot
Sanity (when used)	+2/dot	Fairy Magic dot	7/dot
Reputation	+2/dot	Lillanite Vampire Power	5/level
		Ka Gift (mummy alternate)	7/dot standard 9/dot new
		True Faith	5/dot
		Super Power Point	1/point

Backgrounds
    Backgrounds define the character in other ways.  Backgrounds have a rating of one to ten but beginning characters may only have Backgrounds from 1 to 5.  Backgrounds may be severely limited depending on the game.  Also most supernaturals have a few backgrounds of their own. The backgrounds are listed elsewhere.
    If a GM decides to allow the purchase of backgrounds over 5 they should charge double cost.

Merits and Flaws
    Merits and flaws alter the character in a manner unlike that of skills and attributes these should be seriously curtailed depending on the game.  Also some merits and flaws may only be possessed by certain supernaturals who possess certain traits. The purchase of Merits and Flaws should be very seriously curtailed after game beginning and requires a strong justification.

Improvement Points
    Improvement points or IP are the points spent to improve your character.  These are spent on particular abilities before the actual improvement occurs.  IP can improve just anything with storyteller approval.  Some gains may be simply made through roleplay with no need to spend IP at all (backgrounds are commonly improved or decreased in this manner)

Gaining IP
    IP can be gained in four ways:  Study and Practice, Being Taught, Direct Experience or Award.  All IP gained except Award are tagged for a particular skill.

Study and Practice
    You look up a "how to" book and puzzle it out yourself.  This is how many people learn psychic gifts, werecreature gifts and other supernatural gifts.  When learning skills this can only take you to +3 in the skill unless you had already learned the basics from a teacher (+3 to +4).  IP gained in this way is gives you 1 to 3 points of IP per 8 hour day of study.

Being Taught
    You have found a teacher for the skill.  The teacher must have a higher level of skill than the pupil and must have the time to teach you.  The teacher rolls the his Intelligence + Teaching difficulty 10.  Each point over the difficulty gives the pupil 1 IP. This is rolled and given each lesson. The number of IP gained cannot go over the pupil's intelligence.  The length of the lesson is decided by the game master depending upon the skill in question.
    The teacher can only effectively teacher a number of students equal to double their teaching level.  Once that number is reached for each five students subtract 1 from the IP gained by each individual student. (This is one of the reasons that college students have to study outside of class)
    A person can combine Being Taught and Study and Practice to gain both rewards though they must have time for both.

Direct Experience
    Whenever you do something well the GM rewards you with IP for that skill at the end of the game (or at a stopping point).  Experience gives a nicer rate of IP advancement that any of the others.  This is partially due to it simply being easier to allow improvement in fast paced games.  The justification for this is that stress situations allow the lessons to stick just a little better.

Direct Experience IP Gained Guideline Chart
 

IP	Based on	IP	Based On
2	Used skill in this area	8	Extremely clever or effective use of skill
3	Used skills often	9	Frequent clever and effective use of skill
5	Used Skills effectively	10	Skill was essential to character
6	Frequent and effective use of skills	12	Skill was essential to the session
7	Did something out of the ordinary with skill	15	Did something really incredible with the skill.

Award
    This is IP that is not directly tagged for a particular skill or ability.  This is given at the end of a gaming session for successful completion.  This GM suggests giving between 5 and 20 IP depending on how much game time passed, how stressful the game was, and how much real time the game took. If you give less than 5 it is probably best to not use awards at all.

Spending IP
     Characters improve by spending the requisite number of points to improve their ability in that area.  All costs are based on current level. To gain the first level in anything costs as if buying the second level.  Example Joe wants to pick up firearms.  He spends 10 IP to gain level 1 and then a game later spends 10 more IP to gain level 2.

Multipliers
    Some abilities (most commonly particular skills) have multipliers to improve them.  This means that you multiply the normal number of points required to improve this ability by the listed multiplier.  That ability requires that you spend that number of points to improve it.

Table of IP Costs to Buy or improve particular things.
 

Aspect	IP Cost	Special Aspects	IPCost
Statistic	50 x current level	Thaumaturgical primary path dot	50 x current level clan  80 x current level nonclan
Skills	10 x (multiplier) x current level	Psychic Gift dot	10(GF-1) x current level
Backgrounds	award only or 25 x current level	Cainite Vampire Discipline dot	clan 25x current level nonclan 40 x current level  new 80 x current level
Merits and Flaws	award only or 25 x Freebie cost	Werecreature Gift level	25 x level
Willpower	40 IP x current level	Thaumaturgical Path dot	10(GF-2) x current level
Permanent Rage (Werecreatures)	25 IP x current level	Quickening (immortal)	15 x current level
Sanity (when used)	50 IP x current level	Fairy Magic dot	40 x current level
Golconda	50 IP x current level	Lillanite Vampire Power	25 x level
True Magic	10 x (multiplier) x current level	Ka Gift (mummy alternate)	30 x current level
Formulaic magic spell (true magic)	2 x spell difficulty	True Faith	25 x current level
Ritualistic magic spell (true magic)	3 x spell difficulty	Thaumaturgical ritual	25 x level of ritual
		Super Power Point (low power)	total super power points
		Super Power Point (mid power)	1/2 total super power points
		Super Power Point  (high power)	1/4 total super power points

2. Difficulty
    The Storyteller sets the difficulty for all tasks based on the following chart.  Anything under 10 is considered to be incredibly easy for anyone skilled at the task and most can puzzle it out.
 

Task Description	Task Difficulty	Examples Mechanic	Task Description	Task Difficulty	Example Mechanic
Easy	10 - 14	Changing the oil in a car	Very Difficult	25 - 29	Rebuilding the Engine with the wrong parts.
Average	15 - 19	Standard full service checkup	Incredibly Difficult	30 - 34	Building a car from scratch with memory and parts.
Difficult	20 - 24	Overhauling the engine	Nearly Impossible	35 +	Rebuilding a car from coconuts, sticks and a rubberband. (Not literally but almost)

3. Modifiers
    Once the storyteller assigns a basic difficulty to a task he then assigns modifiers for other conditions.  Modifiers are best when dealing with very ticklish situations or when justifying the difficulty for a task. These modifiers are just examples.
 

Modifier	Reason	Modifier	Reason
+6 to +8	Under attack when not a combat skill	+8 to +12	Deadly Environment (space)
+4	Under other stress (this bomb will blow up the city)	+4	Target or Guard on Alert (when sneaking)
+2 to +6	Wounded (depending on how wounded)	+4	Brightly Lit (when sneaking)
+4 to +8	Drunk, drugged (depending on drug and dose)	+4	Insufficient Light
+4 tp +6	Exhausted	+8	Pitch Blackness
+4 to +6	Very Hostile Environment (freezing water)	+3/24hrs	No Sleep
		+1/hr missed without catching up	Missing sleep over period (decided by gm depending on situation usually 6 or less hours over several days)

4. Opposed Tasks
    Sometimes another person's ability at a task affects the character's own ability to complete an opposing task.  These are called opposing tasks.  The most common examples of this type of task will explained in the combat section.
    The basic system behind an opposed task is pretty simple.  The character rolls STAT + SKILL + d10 and the opposing character rolls STAT + SKILL + d10.  The higher roll is the successful one.  Take all modifiers from the situation and add it to one person's roll.  On an equal roll tie goes to defending player.
    Example:  Bob the Warrior is trying to sneak past Jane's Addict a guard.  Jane has been alerted that someone is coming so she is watching very carefully tonight.  Bob has a STAT + SKILL of 6 (REF) + 3 (Stealth) + 5 (d10 roll) = 14.  Jane has a STAT + SKILL of 5 (INT) + 4 (Awareness/Notice) + 4 (d10 roll) = 13.  This would normally mean that Bob would escape and tell many tales about the unobservant Jane.  Because Jane is watching add the modifer for Guard on Alert (+4).  This means that Jane's roll is instead 5 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 17 (guess what Bob your caught).

5 . Fumbles
All fumbles require the rolling of another d10 and consulting the chart below.(Back to reliability )
 

Area	Roll	Result of Roll	Area	Roll	Result of Roll
REFLEX (Combat)	1-4	No fumble you just screw up	TECH  (Repair or Create)	1-4	No fumble you just can't get it together
	5	You drop your weapon		5-7	You not only fail but you make it worse (raise the dif by 5 and try again)
	6	Weapon discharges (if applicable) if not swing went wrong roll random location for strike		8-10	You broke it completely it can't be put together now
	7	Weapon jams (if applicable) if not is imbeded in ground	EMPATHY  (Convince, seduce)	1-4	No fumble you just can't convince them
	8	You manage to wound yourself.  roll random location.		5-6	You turned them cold add + 6 to any future difficulties for social rolls with that crowd for a few days.
	9-10	You hit a party member if possible		7-10	They are now violently opposed to anything your want to do +10 to difficulties for social rolls
REFLEX (Athletic)	1-4	No fumble you just mess up.	INT/EMP (figure, notice, catch a clue)	1-4	No fumble you just don't catch on or figure out the problem.
	5-7	You fail miserably take 1 point of minor damage (storyteller discresion where)		5-7	You have no idea how to accomplish this particular task its obvious to any with any skill that your an idiot.
	8-10	You fail abysmally take d6 damage (storyteller discresion where)		8-10	Everyone knows how stupid you are. You know nothing about the task and everyone knows it.
Special Skill	1-4	You just failed.  The family didn't come, no one believed you, etc	Supernatural	1-4	No flub its just a failure
	5-9	You failed and ticked someone related to the skill off.  Uncle Rod is angry with you, your boss is upset.		5-9	Use the normal notes for a flub for this special ability.
	10	Lose one point from special skill You failed so miserably that the advantage from the special skill lowers. (before you bemoan the unfairness of it all remember that they can rise because of really good rolls)		10	It goes wrong in a bad way.  Auspex would turn on and couldn't be turned off for a while, pyrotechnics would blast the wrong way and more powerfully.  These effects are related to the skill but not listed.

Reputation. (depending on time period may be area specific)

    Reputation is a measure of how well known your character has become.  This reputation can be good or bad or both.  The character's reputation is always based on the character's actions or established past and most supernatural groups have a Reputation rating of their own within their society.  Reputation adds or subtracts from social rolls depending on the situation.
    The most common use of Reputation is the facedown.  Anytime a character is trying to scare another into backing down each rolls d10 + COOL + REPUTATION (which can be negative if their reputation shows them as a coward)  The loser has the option of backing down from the fight or having -3 to all attack rolls against the character until he has successfully defeated the winner at least once.
 

REP level	Who knows you	REP level	Who knows you
1	Anyone there at the time	7	Your name is recognized by those outside your local area.
2	Stories have gotten around to friends of those there	8	You are known by sight to those outside your local area.
3	All your friends have heard even if they weren't there	9	There has been a news story or two written about you.
4	All your casual aquaintances have heard	10	Your exploits regularly makes the news.
5	Stories are around the city	11	Your exploits always makes the news and in fact has  become news.
6	Stories are all over the local area	12	You are known to almost anyone.  Give it time and you'll have your own poser gang.

Handling Reputation:
    With each reputation the character should keep up with a list of five adjectives that describe the character's reputation.  The storyteller must ok each reputation adjective and may occasionally add in a completely inaccurate one.  Rep starts the game at 0.  REP may be raised for 2 freebie points per points (up to 5).  The storyteller should feel free to increase, decrease, or alter the aspects of the REP as they see fit by the character's apparent actions (remember actual actions are irrelevent only the appearance is) and location.
 

Encumbrance
     Talorian system keeps a fairly loose eye on encumbrance.  A Talorian character can carry his Body x 10 kilograms without suffering serious encumbrance and can deadlift Body x 40 kilograms (for the metrically disabled like myself that would be Body Type x 5.7 lbs for the first and Body x 22.8lbs for the second)  Strength Feat adds to the deadlift roll at a 2 for 1 ratio.  In a pinch the character can actually carry more than their carry rating.  However, doing this requires making regular endurance checks and subtracts 3 (for over 1.5 x carry)  or 6 (for over 2 x carry) from all reflex rolls.
   Characters must say what they are carrying.  The storyteller probably shouldn't even worry about figuring encumbrance unless it sounds like it should be too heavy for the character.

A few example weights:
.5 kg or less
    box of ammo, cellular phone, knife, light pistol
1 kg or less
    heavy machinegun, sleeping bag, laptop computer, armor vest, small to medium sword, big knife
3 kg
    submachinegun, very heavy pistol, light to medium assault rifle, armor jacket, bastard sword
4 kg
    electric keyboard, amplifier, heavy assault rifle, 2 person tent, full body armor.

Weapon Codes
    Weapons in Talorian have a standardized way of notating the relevant aspects for handling them in the Talorian system.  I won't worry about figuring out all the particulars of a weapon since this can be handled individually between Storyteller and player and there are lists everywhere (besides weapons are vastly different in each Age).

Weight
    The first relevant aspect is weight.  How much does it weigh.  This matters for encumbrance and -in the case of melee weapons- ability to wield.  A character cannot effectively wield a weapon (-4 modifier) that weighs more kg than their BODY TYPE rating.  A character cannot wield at all a weapon that weighs more than twice their BODY TYPE.

Type
    Weapons fall into certain categories and some of these fall into several more:  The primary categories are: Pistols (P), Submachinegun (SMG), Shotguns (SHG), Rifles (RIF), Heavy Weapons (HVY), Melee Weapons (MELEE) and Exotic Weapons (EX).  Laser technology or Blast technology weapons are a subcategory of the particular weapon type.  If using WOD combat they must be bought as seperate weapons techniques.
    Pistol (P).  includes any type of single shot firearm which may be accurately fired with one hand.
    Submachinegun (SMG). includes any type of weapon which may fire either automatically or semiautomatically using only pistol ammunition.
    Shotgun (SHG).  includes any firearm which fires pellets or other small particles instead of a solid slug.
    Rifle (RIF).  includes any assault rifles, sniper rifles, carbines and fully automatic rifles.  These weapons always fire rifle type ammunition.
    Heavy Weapon (HVY).  includes missiles, grenades, and heavy cannons also includes most ship weapons.
    Melee Weapon (MELEE).  includes all handheld weapons.
    Exotic Weapon (EX).  includes anything that won't fit into another category.  This would include bows, crossbows, lances and anything else a creative player might come up with.

Damage/Bullet Type
    This is simply the amount of damage that a weapon does.  This is in a number of d6 or occasionally d10.  Some things may affect the damage: type of round used, skill with the weapon, and BODY. The Bullet Type tells you what sort of Bullets you must buy to refill the clip.
    Most light pistols do d6 damage medium pistols do 2d6 and heavy pistols do 3d6.  The range of handheld firearms goes in general from 1d6 to 7d10.  Normal small knives do 1d6 while small swords do 2d6 and large swords do 4d6.

Range
    This is how far away the weapon can hope to strike.  Storytellers should add range modifers if the target if far away.

Number of Shots (for ranged)
    This is how many shots can be taken before the character must stop and reload.  The reload time varies but common sense should be a good guide.

Rate of Fire (for ranged)
    This is how many bullets can be fired in a combat turn.  The character can chose to take a modifier to do more than one thing but the primary usefulness of this aspect of the system is to decide what happens when going full auto or sweeping an area (both explained in the Combat section).

Accuracy
    This is how good a weapon is at hitting the target.  This ranges from -4 to +4 normally and with the assistance of targeting computers may go up as much as +10 or +15.  This number is added to the attack roll for this weapon.

Concealability
    Sometimes you need to be able to hide your weapon.  This is how easy or hard it is to conceal on your person.
    Pocket, pants leg or sleeve (Po) -- this is generally reserved for small light weapons
    Jacket, coat or shoulder bag (J) -- this is for larger weapons a small sword or small autopistol
    Long coat (L) -- this is for medium sized rifles.
    Can't be hidden (N) -- this is for grenade launchers, big shotguns and rifles.

Reliability
    This is how reliable the weapon is.  It is the chance that the weapon will jam when firing (remember the fumble chart up there) When the character rolls a jam on the chart you consult the reliablity if the number or below is rolled on a d10 it jams.
    It takes d6 turns to fix a jammed weapon
    A weapons reliablity is
    Very Reliable (VR): jams on 3 or lower
    Standard (ST): jams on a 5 or lower
    Unreliable (UR): jams on an 8 or lower

Availability
    This is how hard the weapon is to get and must be decided on for each timeperiod.
Availability also adds modifiers to cost of the weapon  To get an unregistered weapon add one or two levels to the availability:
1. Excellent (E):  You can get it almost anywhere.
2. Common (C): Can be found in most sports or gun stores.  If illegal can be found easily on the street.
3. Poor (P):  Many weapons that must be special made for you.  Black market weapons that the corps and police don't want you to have, stolen military.  Multiply listed cost by 5 to 10
4. Rare (R):  One of a kind requires special make and highly illegal weapons.  Requires a streetdeal roll just to have access to buy it.  Multiply listed cost by 10 to 25

Cost
    This is how much the weapon costs.  This will vary widely by timeperiod and area.  Cost also defines how badly someone will want to steal it from you for their own purposes.

Weapon Code
    All of these things together add up to what is called a weapon code.  It is a way to notate what you have.  The notation is as follows Name * Type * Accuracy * Concealability * Availability * Damage/Ammo * Number of Shots * Rate of Fire * Reliability.
    It sounds confusing and I won't lie it is a bit confusing.  However, once you get the hang of it its not too bad.  All the charts found on p61 in the Cyberpunk books will be a big help this way.
For example the Minami 10 * SMG * 1 * J * E * 2d6+3/10mm * 20 * VR.  Is an accurate (1) Submachine gun (SMG) called the Minami 10 which can be hidden under a jacket (J) with excellent availability (E), fires 10mm ammunition which does 2d6+3 damage, has a 40 shot clip, can fire 20 rounds per combat if on full auto and is very reliable.

Combat
    The Basic combat system is called Friday Night Firefight.  Its put together to make people want to avoid combat unless they are at an extreme advantage and even then they would rather avoid it.  The system is based in information taken from real world firefights.

Initiative
    Initiative is a fancy word for who goes first.  Initiative is rolled each turn. It is suggested that you roll one initiative for enemies for simplicities sake.   For each 20 in the initiative value give the character who rolled that high an extra action.

Normal
    Each character and enemy rolls Reflexes + Combat sense + any supernatural modifers + d10.  The highest roll goes first.  On a flub that character does not go at all that round (If only rolling once for enemies chose one enemy who takes the 1 and roll again for the group if the enemy group rolls a 10 chose one enemy who gets that initiative and roll again)
    A character may hold their action until after something specific happens or until the end of the round.

Snapshot
   A character may declare before the beginning of the round that they are doing a snapshot.  This is a quick readying and firing of a weapon.   This adds +3 to the intiative and -3 to the attack roll.

Surprise
    If someone gets the drop on another they have a strong advantage in the battle.  Add a +10 modifier to the initiative roll for the first turn.

Actions
    During your initiative you can do any of the following:

• Move up to your full movement rate 3x MA in meters
• Attack up to your weapons maximum ROF
• Make a melee attack
• Dodge making yourself harder to hit.
• Parry deflecting the attack elsewhere.
• Escape a hold or trap.
• Aim +2 for every initative up to 3
• Reload or charge weapons
• Mount or dismount a vehicle
• Repair or give medical aid (time may be considerably more than a round)
• Perform a noncombat task (time may vary considerably depending on the task)

Combat Modifer's table
 

Modifier	Reason	Modifier	Reason
+4	Target completely immoble	-2/m	Full auto sweep
+10	Surprise (initiative roll)	-5	Ricochet or indirect fire
+2	Target silhoutted	-3	Blinded by light or dust
+2	Turret mounted weapon	-3 to each	using 2 weapons attacking
+3	Three round burst	-3	two actions that initiative
+1	Laser sight	-2	from shoulder arm from hip
+2	Targeting scope	-4	Vehicle mounted no turret
-12 to +12	Target on different size lower scale than weapon	-2 or -6	Aimed shot at body location -2 for torso, -4 for legs and arms -6 for head.
+2/10 rnds	Full auto in small area	-3/m in effect	Area effect dodges.

Melee and Hand to Hand
    Melee and Hand to Hand attacks are handled exactly the same way as a gun attack (or course without the range modifiers).  All melee and hand to hand attacks are on the same size scale as the attacker.

    In melee combat the damage is decided by the weapon's damage and the character adds the modifier for his body and his skill (the skill level).  Therefore, Ripper who is using his monokatana (4d6) has a fencing skill of +6 and a body of 7 (BM +1) does 4d6 +7 damage (convert each +4 to an extra die) which converts to 5d6 +3 damage whenever using his monokatana.  Each weapon used also has an initiative and an attack modifier (adds to the attack roll but not the damage).

    Hand to Hand combat is slightly different than melee combat in that you can know either Brawling or Martial Arts.  Brawling is generalized combat and its only real strength is that it has no weaknesses and it is inexpensive.  Hand to Hand combat is broken into several fairly basic combat maneuvers (see chart below).  To figure damage for Brawling is as follows (basic damage from chart) + BTM + 1/2 skill level (round down).  As above convert all +4's to an extra die.  To figure damage for Martial Arts is a little more complicated.  Martial Arts has a primary attack (PA), strength attack (SA), trained attack (TA) and weak attack (WA).  Base damage is (basic damage for maneuver) + BTM + skill level ( x2 for PA, x1 for SA, x1/2 TA and x1/4 for WA all rounded down) (see martial arts system for more information).
 

Maneuver	Effect	Description/Notes
Strike	1d6/2	Strike with hands
Kick	1d6	Strike with feet
Block/Parry	absorbs damage	Using hands, feet, arms legs to absorb damage.  On a successful roll character may absorb the skill damage modifier from damage
Dodge	avoid damage	Throwing oneself out of the way of an attack.  Both opponents are at -3 to initative on  melee/ hand to hand attacks against one another on the next turn.  This type of dodge only works for melee and hand to hand maneuvers.
Disarm	weapon removal	Removing a weapon from an opponent's hand on a successful roll
Throw	1d6 stun save -2	Opponent is knocked to ground taking damage at attacker's choice
Hold	target immobile	Painful joint or body hold.  Must grapple first.  Attacker is also limited in attack forms.
Escape	freed from hold	Getting out of another's hold.
Choke	1d6/turn	Requires hold or grapple.  Applying a choke hold to the opponent
Sweep/Trip	target -4 attack/dodge	Knocks opponent to ground usually with feet or legs usually
Grapple	quick grab	Grabbing another as a set up for a hold or choke on the next turn.

Area effect
    Sometimes someone will just try to hit an area and hope the people he wants to ice are in the area.  Most likely this is grenades.  The attacker rolls to see whether he hits the area using the range difficulty table above.  If he hits then the target gets a chance to dodge (if she has an initiative).  If the target misses roll randomly to see where it hits.  If it would still kill the target then she must still roll a dodge.
    When a grenade misses roll a d10 for direction from target and a second d10 for how far in meters from target.  See diagram below.
 

A few common area affects weapons and their areas:  Grenade 5 meters  Molotov Cocktail 2meters/liter  Mine 2 meters  Shotgun: close 1 meter; medium 2 meters, long 3 meters  Minimissile (handheld) 1 meter  Missile (aircraft scale) 2 meters  Missile/Photon blast (spacecraft scale) 4 meters  Missile/Photon blast (Destroyer scale) 6 meters  Missile/Photon blast (Capital scale) 10 meters  Flamethrower: small 1 meter, full sized 3 meters

A world of hurt
Damage
    Damage is done in a number of d6 (in a couple of cases d10).  Every weapon will have a damage and a damage scale listed.  If it does not have a damage scale listed assume it is on the human scale.
    There are two types of damage: normal and aggravated.  Normal damage is what you get from almost any type of attack it heals fairly easily if you have the right type of abilities or the right level of medical technology (depending on severity).  Aggravated damage is the type of damage that most supernatural sources cause and it is the type of damage taken when the damage is particularly fleshrending.  Chainsaws do aggravated damage at the point of impact and some acids also do aggravated damage.  Whether a particular attack is normal or aggravated is up to the Storyteller.

Hit Location
    The first thing to do is apply the damage to the correct area.  (Damage in particular area has differing effects)  Plus armor only protects particular areas. Hit locations are listed on the character sheet as a die roll (use common sense with the die results). There are a few special rules to the hit location:

1. If a character takes more than 8 points of damage to a single limb in a single attack the area is severed or crushed beyond recognition.  The character must make an immediate death save at mortal 0.  A head wound of this type will kill automatically (Note: some supernaturals do not die from this if they do not simply add the damage to their total and consider them unconscious).
2. A head hit always does double damage

Proportional Armor Table
 

Difference in SP	Bonus number	Difference in SP	Bonus number
0 to 4	+5	15 to 20	+2
5 to 8	+4	21 to 26	+1
9 to 14	+3	27+	+0

Body Modifier

Well once you figure out how your armor handled the blow now you look at your BTM.  You filled it out when you did your character sheet..  the Body Modifier is applied to all damage taken.  Storytellers may occasionally make a minimum damage due to the type of blow and the type of armor (Usually a 1 or 2)

Wounds
    Wounds section on your character sheet is used to record damage.  You will notice that there are a bunch of categories of damage and 4 boxes inside each category.  Each box corresponds to 1 damage.  The wound categories are: Light, Serious, Critical, Mortal 0-5.  Each box contains a stun save modifer and a REF modifer.  The Stun Save modifer is applied to all stun saves.  The REF modifier is taken from the current REF score for the character's movement capabilities.  The storyteller may override this modifer for particular rolls.  If the character takes sufficient damage to be in a Under each box is a stun save modifier and a REF modifier for the damage you have taken.  If you have sufficient damage to be put into a particular box then you must make a Stun Save and you are subject to the REF modifier.  Also once the character reaches Mortal status they must make death saves (explained later) to avoid dying

Stun Save
    Everytime a character takes damage they must make a Stun Save.  A stun save is equal to the character's body type statistic minus the Stun Save modifier.  A failed roll means the character is out for the duration.

Death Save
    Everytime a character reaches Mortal Wound status they must start making death saves.  The character makes a death save when the damage is taken and every turn thereafter until they are stabilized.  The character's death save value is equal to their Body minus the mortal level the character is at.  Stabilizing someone requires a successful roll on TECH + Medical Skill +d10.  The target number is the total number of damage points the character has taken.  Once Stabilized the character does not have to make death saves any more.  The chances of successful stabilization are modified by the following:  Full Hospital +5, Trauma Team Ambulance +3, Life Suspension Tank +3

Vehicle combat (damage scale)
    This system may not be necessary for many timeperiods.  It is essential to the futuristic space worlds so that the vehicle combat can be handled easily.   If the storyteller choses to not use this system multiply the damage of vehicles by the difference in the human scale.  Therefore, vehicles scale weapons would do 4 times as much damage on the human scale.
    The table below uses differences in scale to multiply the damage and to make the target on a large scale easier to hit and the one on the smaller scale harder to hit.
Damage and Attack  Scale
Damage Multiplier/Attack Bonus
 

Scale	Tiny	Human	Vehicle	Starship	Destroyer
Tiny	x 1 / +0	x .25 / +3	x .1 / +6	x .04 / +9	x .001 / +12
Human	x 4 / -3	x 1 / +0	x .25 / +3	x .1 / +6	x .04 / +9
Vehicle	x 10 / -6	x 4 / -3	x 1 / +0	x .25 / +3	x .1 / +6
Starship	x 25 / -9	x 10 / -6	x 4 / -3	x 1 / +0	x .25 / +3
Destroyer	x 100 / -12	x 25 / -9	x 10 / -6	x 4 / -3	x 1 / + 0

The far right is the attacking foe while the columns along the top are the attacked foe.
 

Scale	Weight description	Examples
Tiny	under 25 lbs	small supernatural creatures, small animals (cat, mouse)
Human	under 2 tons	just about any animal human and many motorcycles
Vehicle	2 - 100 tons	Most nonspace vehicles, small aircraft, cannot hold more than six comfortably
Starship	100 - 350 tons	Small light crew space vehicles
Destroyer	350  - 2000 tons	Large war machines manning hundreds
Star Destroyer	over 2000 tons	Large war spacecraft manning hundreds

    Armor is also similarly scaled.  It is possible to put armor of a lower scale on a ship and it is possible to put shields of a higher scale.  Don't count the armor and shields until after the damage has been converted to the right scale for the armor.  After the damage reduction from armor and shields has been figured the remaining damage must be converted back to its original scale.

    It is possible to create weapons that do damage one scale up but only in modern to advanced societies.  These weapons are always quite large.  An example of this is a backpack rocket launcher as well as weapons on a lower scale.  These weapons use the attack bonus from the attacker's scale and damage multiplier from the weapon's scale.

Healing
    Normal healing depends a lot on the medical technology being used on the character.  This section on healing talks only about humans and those that heal the same way.

Healing technology is broken into 6 categories.  There are many more but this is simply a simplicity
 
 

Medical Tech Level	Medical Roll Modifier *	Description	Capabilities
Primative	-5	Mostly Herbs and natural cures	basic first aid in most ages, washing and cleaning wounds, Herbs for sickness, amputation.
Early Allopathic	-7	General disrespect for old remedies.  Many treatments more harm than good.	Leeching, Electroshock therapy, Field Surgery, amputation
Mid Allopathic	-3	Some good practices (actually wash hands now), some treatments help some do not.	Field Surgery, amputation, cleaning and binding wounds,
Late Allopathic	-1	Quite a few medical methods help.  Advanced surgery possible but dangerous	Advanced surgery, nerve attachment techniques, lost limbs can be reattached if done quickly, organ transplant (clumsy)
Intrusive Allopathic	+0	Nanotechnical surgeons and cybertech used to assist.	Biological Healing drugs that speed up healing rate, cyber and bodybank replacement, early clone technology
Bioenginnering Age	+3	Cloned parts on file for rich.  Suspended animation technology perfected and bioengineered improvement bodies.	Clone replacements, Shut body down while uplinks brain.  Completes surgery through nanotech and bioengineered bacteria and viruses.

* This modifier adds directly to the roll to stabilize or heal the character.  Also some things simply aren't possible in a particular age.

A normal human with bedrest and someone to clean their bandages heals according the  to the following chart:
 

Wound Level	Boxes Healed	Healing Requirements (if these requirements are not met move the character down a level on the boxes healed category)	Capabilities
Light	1/day	Rest no strenuous activity	nonstrenuous activities
Serious	1/3 days	Bedrest and trained firstaid care	mental activities, can hobble a bit
Critical	1/week	Trained medical care with equipment	move in and out of consciousness can talk conherently when conscious
Mortal	1/month	Medical monitors, lifesupport equipment (death saves must be made 1/week for those on lifesupport)	Unconscious most of the time with few lucid moments.

This does not take into account any special equipment except that required for healing.  Any others will count as special equipment and have an individual effect.

Go back to top of page
 

Backgrounds

Merits and Flaws

Index Talorian

Character Sheet Doc (word 97)

 
 

World of Dimness		Game World
Sundering World work in progress