Dungeons & Discourse Rules & Mechanics

Dungeons and Discourse is a philosophy-themed tabletop RPG based on a comic

created by Aaron Diaz in his series Dresden Codak. Players create a character based on real-world philosophical schools of thought. Each character class draws upon two basic components to perform actions: charisma and credibility. Philosophies that draw from mystic or supernatural abilities depend more greatly on charisma, while academic or secular schools depend more heavily on credibility.

The world of Dungeons and Discourse is one seething with the power of intellectual minds. Set parallel to ours, strength is not based on muscular strength, but rather the ability to persuade and reason. Power from the ancient, mystic forces of Charisma, whose forces populate the holy and wild Arete woods, the craggy Daghda Mountains, and the vast cathedral-city of Numinous, and from the credibility-based technophiles, modernists, transhumanists, and other credibles who are ever building their great nation of Utopia. These forces are vastly powerful and insidious, competing for the hearts and minds of the populace – however, the character types played by the players are more likely to be balanced characters, as swinging too far to the side of Charisma or Credibility can have nasty side effects.

The Character Model

Attributes/Stats

There are seven base Attributes, in three groups:

Logic(LOG), Knowledge(KNO), and Research(RCH), of the Credibility (CRE) group; Rhetoric(RHE), Image(IMA) and Manipulation (MNP), of the Charisma (CHA) group; And Conviction(CON), its own stat, independent of the others.

When creating a character at Level 1, it is assumed that everyone has a base level of 2 for each Attribute. After that fact, you are allowed seven more points to distribute among the attributes as you please. So, for example, we have here a young philosopher, who has not yet picked a class:

Kimiko, a level 8 Positivist.

LOGic: 3 KNOwledge: 3 ResearCH: 2 RHEtoric: 4 IMAge: 2 MaNiPulation: 3 CONviction: 4

Now, there are three more things we should mention. The first is maximum HP, which is directly determined from stats with this formula: (6 * CON) + KNO + IMA. In this case, that's 6*4 + 3 + 2, so he has 29 HP.

As well, you receive a bonus to certain abilities depending on which group is stronger: the CRE group, or the CHA group. In this case, his total CHA (4+2+3=9) is greater than his CRE (3+3+2=8), so he gains a bonus to CHA, his Charisma. The bonus is equal to the difference between them. 9-8=1, so his bonus is +1 CHA.

His CRE, or Credibility, bonus is zero, because you only get one of the bonuses,

although some Quale can change this.

The final thing is maximum MP, or Manifest Points. These are determined by your KNO and IMA stats. However, RCH or MNP enters into the equation as well, depending on which group is dominant. Since CHA is dominant, the equation is KNO+IMA+MNP = 3+2+3 = 8 MP total.

So, we have here a fairly well-rounded character. If he'd gone farther to either side of the distribution curve, he could have been more powerful in a way, but that can hurt you later on... Class/School

Class has an overarching influence over all other aspects of your character. While

not a quantified value in itself, it can have quantified effects: the nature of your class can cause you to take or deal extra damage, and cleverly roleplaying your class can net you tangible benefits. It also dictates some (but certainly not all) of the Skill sets and Abilities your character will be able to possess. There are also exclusive Class Qualia, which we’ll talk about next. Nature/Qualia

This is the repository of all qualities that don't fit into Class, but still tend to be

more qualitative than quantitative. There are only two you really, really need to pick: one from Religous/Agnostic/Atheistic, and one from Absolute/Subjective/Chaotic. These represent your characters metaphysical beliefs. However, if your character is, say, a Heavy Drinker, a Hopeless Introvert, Anglo-Asian, or has a Penchant For Destruction, that goes here too, and can, in fact, have direct benefits.

All Qualia are either superficial (have no direct effects on stats) or self-balancing. This goes for Class Qualia, too, which can contain carefully defined Strengths and Weaknesses. Players are encouraged to develop their own Qualia for their characters, but we have a few examples in the Archives for you at the end of this book. Race: The national background of your character, Race is a purely superficial Quale with enormous variation. However, some items in the Discourse universe may only respond to those of a certain background, and some non-player characters may find it easier to relate to your character if their nationalities are similar. Levels

And there are levels. We'll get to this more after we explain combat and

experience, but they directly influence how powerful your Skills are. Skills

Skills represent your characters’ unique set of learned talents and capabilities. Every character begins with 7 Common Skill points to start out, which they may distribute in as many Common Skills as they see fit. However, no Common Skill may be higher than (1) over a characters Class Skill.

Class Skills are the individual set of Abilities every Class initially gains access to. They represent the school of thought the Character subscribes to. Every character gets 3 points in their Class Skill to start out which means that, for a level one character, no Skill he has may be over (4) unaided. This is Bob, a level 1 Symbolic Interactionist. Symbolic Interactionism (3) (Class Skill) Oration (4) Sociology (3)

Let’s say that, upon his next level, he could access the Skillset Frame Analysis, which requires Symbolic Interactionism (5) and Oration (3). Only he would be able to access that, as his previous Class is a requirement for it! You can do this with other classes too: an Epicurean or Antiquate could access Atomism, but not a Marxist.

On top of that, there are also Common pool "elite" Skillsets that can be obtained. For example, a philosopher with Mathematics (6) and Basic Physics (6) can then obtain Quantum Physics, a highly useful common pool Skillset that also has high practical use, such as teleportation!

The top limit for a Skill is (6). However, you can still put Skill Points into the Skill after it has hit this maximum amount. This will not unlock new Abilities for purchase (yet), but it will make your existing Abilities more accurate and the Skill

concerned more resilient to attack. When you put more Skill points into a maxed-out Skill, you will gain a second reserve of dice you can roll when you use that Skill; a Positivist (6) becomes a Positivist (6,2) or similar. The second number denotes an amount of dice you can roll to try again if the first attempt fails, and a place where you can direct Skill damage to. Practical Use

Only Common-pool abilities have practical uses, generally. This is offset by the

fact that they often contain comparatively weaker abilities per rank than Class Skill sets.

When applied to practical use, the number of points in a common pool Skill is rolled as dice against a Difficulty (DIF) set by the DM. If your roll adds up to more than the DIF check, you succeed! If not, you fail, and may take damage or be unable to try again, depending on the action. Abilities/Arguments

Abilities are unlocked by increasing your Skills and then purchasing your

Abilities with Treatise. At this point, it’s probably prudent to note that each new character gets about 6 Treatise when created to exclusively spend on Ability acquisition, on top of all these other things. This can be tweaked by the DM at his discretion, of course. The cost per Ability acquisition is discussed at the instructions for Levelling Up, if you’re interested. The usual setup for a common pool Skill would be something like this:

____________________________________________________________________ Music Rank (1) Solo (1 MP) Improvise a stirring theme to strike at the heart of your enemy. Deals 1d6+RHE+CHA sonic damage. Leitmotif (3 MP) Summon a Recurring Theme (3) that deals MNP damage per turn and has 1 HP. This disappears when you put away your instrument or run out of MP. Rank (2)

Duet (5MP) You and a teammate with Music are able to perform a beautiful duet that captivates the enemy’s mind and soul. This saps only your MP, and allows the teammate to attack with

you. Each hit by either Musician deals (RHE+MNP)*2. Also, flip a coin once. If you get the toss, the enemy becomes so stunned they lose their next turn. Rank (5) Sonata (6 MP) All characters bearing a musical instrument have their musical instruments become value 6 Weapon Items for their next turn sequence, including yours. Any player who busts out a Solo during this time deals + your MNP damage on that solo. ________________________________________________________________________

As you can see, Abilities usually use the stats other than IMA and KNO, and

almost never use CON as part of their equation. It is somewhat important to note that this is the defining distinction between intelligent, thinking beings and monsters in the Discourse universe! There are, however, some Skills that use them. For example: Literature (3): Amelioration: Negate up to 1d6 + KNO + CRE damage done to an ally.

Still, these are few and far between (particularly in the common pool), and only a few Classes, such as Humanists and Psychoanalysts, really specialize in this. Cost: Every time an Ability is used in or out of combat, successfully or unsuccessfully, MP is drained, depending on the Ability. So, to use Greater Renounce, you'd have to use 6 MP: quite a lot, compared to basic Renounce, but it does a lot more damage to an enemy, in ways not usually accessible to lower-level Skills! Combat!

Finally, the good stuff! Combat in Dungeons and Discourse attempts to emulate a

rational argument in real life: Characters make an attack on their opponent, and the opponent either defends successfully or fails, causing the opponent to lose ground and Conviction.

So, for example, we have a Leitmotif(3), as mentioned brieflly, summoned by your friend. As a Nihilist, it’s starting to get on your nerves; it's time to end this little song a little prematurely.

You decide to attack with your main Skill, Nihilism(5). You then choose which Ability to "flavor" it with. In this case, let's say you use the God Is Dead attack, which causes you to lose 1 MP. You must pick which ability to use before rolling any dice, as its only fair. It rolls its only Skill (Most basic monsters generally only have one or two Skills) against yours, and loses. It then takes damage to its HP, AND loses one Skill point. If its HP is reduced to 0, it is dead, its conviction obliterated. If its every Skill is reduced to 0, it tweedles out and can no longer attack or move, and has essentially sunken into a confused, paralyzing stupor.

But, what if you somehow lose this? If you lose the Skill roll when rolling an

Ability, nothing happens: you take no damage (unless there is some form of enchantment on your target, like A Posteriori) and neither does your opponent. It costs no MP for the defender to defend. You just lose a turn, essentially, as your argument has been refuted.

A clarification: if one of your Skills is reduced during combat, the only thing that is affected is your Skill rolls. You can still use all your Abilities, up until the point you hit the 0 mark, when you lose all use of that Skill temporarily. Improvised Attacks

But what if you have no MP, or do not wish to use an Ability, but still want to

attack? Then we have the Improvised Attack. This unfolds as previous: Choose a Skill, roll, win or lose. The damage dealt is: RCH or MNP + Equipped Weapon Item(1-6) + DM Amusement (1-4)

A Weapon Item is an item all characters carry, such as a symbol of their belief or helpful manuscript. Every Item carries a value from 1-6 on it: 1 being common, 2-3 being slightly specialized and hard to find, and 4-6 being exclusive and very uncommon/expensive. Notice the singular: only one at a time is allowed, of course. Some items even cause conditions, but these are often just as rare.

DM Amusement is just that. The DM awards you extra damage based on how witty/thought-provoking/utterly hilarious/appropriate your attack was role-played, a value of about 1-4.

That's a fair bit of damage, if you think about it. However, it comes with one major drawback: If you LOSE the attack, you take one Skill damage. That's the price of putting your belief directly on the line!

Adventuring, Experience and Leveling Up:

OK, so you've got your character ready; time to rock & roll. This section is going

to outline how to begin a session of D&Dis, then we'll go over the various ways your character can gain experience, and how to manage monsters from the DM's side.

A session is begun by everyone taking their seats at the table with their character sheets at the ready. Initiative, or turn order, is determined by going clockwise around the table from the DM, with the DM normally going either last or first, so you might want to investigate the other characters and decide a strategically preferable turn order.

You’ll need at least 6 or more six-sided dice (d6, shorthand) and a few coins to

flip (d2) as well. Also recommended is a calculator, particularly for the more The DM then outlines the situation he's prepared for this session. It is at this point

the players must determine their Goals, before play starts.

Goals

Goals are the manifestations of free will in the game of Dungeons & Discourse.

They are best described as personal quests, decided upon by the players rather than the DM.

Once the situation has been described, players can look over each others'

character sheets, ask questions of the DM, and determine their own Goals, which are kept secret between them and the DM. We recommend you write down your Goals (which can be anything, so long as it is possible given the initial scenario: the DM must accommodate them in this, as much as possible) and hand them to the DM, secret ballot style. The DM then decides how much Treatise each player will get for completing their Goals, based on two criteria: how difficult they are, and how well they align with the players' Quale.

Take, for example, a male Hedonist. If he chooses to make it a point to gather a sample of the region's famous wine during the adventure, that's not too hard, but well in-line with his Quale: he would probably get two or three Treatise for completion. However, if he instead wants to get into the pants of the Wily, Buxom Feminist in the same party, that's going to be tough; if he can manage it, he'll probably get a large amount of Treatise (perhaps five or six). Now, perhaps, you see why the Goals must initially be secret; they can interfere with each other and involve other characters in their design!

One final note for players that are perhaps new to RPGs; it may be that the DM will provide no obvious hooks for the accomplishment of your Goals (although he probably should). In this case, you may consider it within your bounds to suggest

information or further your goals through roleplay. For example, in the case of the Hedonist wine-lover, he probably knows where the vineyard he wants the wine from is, and can relay this to other characters or even split off from the party on his own for a time. Gaining Treatise

The session has now begun. Gaining experience in D&Dis is similar to most

other conventional RPG's, with the one exception that Treatises are, in fact, physical objects, and are "dropped" by monsters, can be found, given as rewards, and so forth. Occasionally they also just drop into characters’ pockets, as if by magic, also. When a Treatise is dropped by a monster, the DM can specify who it is for if he wants to, but need not say any more than that. When a Treatise is found or given as a reward, it always pertains to the receiver. Treatise can also be shared, unless the DM says no.

There is one last way to gain Treatise. By altering the world around you in a way consistent with your Class and Quale, the DM should reward the player. Naturally, the magnitude and difficulty of the operation determines the reward; passing out Communist pamphlets to poor children in a destitute little town would maybe get you a single Treatise; actually taking on the governance of the town and enforcing a new Communist regime would probably net you more.

Likewise, at the end of any plot segment or session, every character should receive Treatise, whether the overall result was failure or success. This occurs even if you are dead. After all, trifling details like being dead can be messed with in such fictional endeavors as these. Spending Treatise

Treatise can be spent in one of two ways: leveling up, or purchasing abilities.

After this, they are used up, and disappear. Treatise can be spent only during a period of relative calm or dullness, such as when your characters are staying at an inn, or setting up camp. Leveling Up

To level up, it costs 5 Treatise for level two, seven Treatise for level three, nine

Treatise for level four...and so on. If you're ever stuck, here's an equation for the cost: Cost for leveling = 1 Treatise + (Your Next Level * 2) Treatise. When you buy a new level, this is what you get: 2 Stat points to be spent freely 1 Skill Point increase in your Class Skill 1 Skill Point for spending on Common Skills only

1 Skill point that can be spent freely This is regardless of Class or Level. Buying new Abilities

Abilities cost less than levels, but still constitute a fair amount of the Treatise you'll be spending. To purchase an Ability under the current system, you must first

1. Have your character's Skill rank high enough to purchase the Ability. Each Ability corresponds to a certain Skill rank, usually by its MP cost (6 MP cost = Rank 6). If not, it will be noted on the Ability.

2. Have enough Treatise to study! The higher ranked an Ability is, the more

study is required to unlock its secrets. A rank 1-2 Ability costs 1 Treatise; A rank 3-4 Ability costs 2; A rank 5-6 Ability costs 3. This currently goes for even Elite skillets.

Monsters

Monsters are very simple in Dungeons and Discourse. They only have one stat:

CON. This determines their HP (as characters, *6) and is used in their Abilities and I.A.s instead of other stats. Of course, they also have Skills (making it much easier to wear down some monsters than to actually kill them).

Of course, a monster with low CON shouldn't be underestimated; their Abilities cost no MP and often can multiply its value favorably if they hit in certain circumstances. As well, their Skills can make it so that it hits you far more than you hit it. Monsters have no CRE or CHA, either; they instead often gain direct bonuses to their Abilities just by virtue of the properties of those Abilities. The damage caused by normal Monster Attacks are calculated by this formula: (Current Highest Skill Rank + half of CON, rounded up)

The Archives

Written here is a repository of all content that has yet been generated for the Dungeons and Discourse roleplaying game, including Classes and Class Skills and Abilities, Common Skills and Abilities, Items, Quale, and Monsters. We encourage you to come up with your own content for the game if what you like is not here: Drop by our forums at dresdencodak.com if you want some helpful tips on doing so! Otherwise, we recommend you use the existing items in the Archives as rough models for your creations. The contents are as follows: pp. 12-26: Classes, Class Skills, and Class Abilities, by Class pp. 27-43: Common Skills and their Abilities, by Skillset pp 43-48: Quale pp. 49-52: Items pp. 53-56: Monsters

The Classes (by page)

13 Daoism, Hindu

14 Utilitarian, Positivist 15 Apologist

16 Nihilism, Transhumanism

17 Humanist Psychologist, Discordianism 19 Kantian, Popperian 20 Roman Catholic (Theologian)

21 Unitarian Universalist, Egoism

22 Pragmatist, Epicurean 23 Existentialism 24 Spinozan 25 Buddhism, Psychoanalyst

26 Muslim

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daoism Daoists believe most in the circuitousness of all things. To them, all is but an ever-turning cycle; what is, is soon not, and what is not soon is. Despite this often confusing dichotomy inherent in their philosophy, they have nonetheless gained significant standing in the D&Dis universe, and can frequently be seen among the ranks of travelling adventurers, seeking wisdom, enlightenment and a good living. Of course, Daoist adventurer-philosophers are a bit more apt to action than normal Daoists, but they still generally retain pacifist tendencies. Their trademark abilities allow them to return damage inflicted upon them, as well as being able to do other things that may seem logically strange or unstable. Thus, they generally rely on their Charisma much more than their Credibility to get their point across. Skill Tree: Rank-1 Yielding (1MP): Reduces the amount of damage done to the caster by one HP for the duration of the battle. Yielding stacks on itself when cast multiple times, to a limit of stopping CHA damage per attack. Rank-2 Inaction (2MP): Rather than attack, you meditate, adding 1d6+RHE Insight damage to your next attack. If your next attack misses, this is lost. This does not stack. Rank-4 Wu Wei (4MP): Deal 3d6+RHE+CHA damage. This damage cannot exceed your current difference between current HP and your max HP. Liang Yi (6MP): User splits into their good and evil side, caster must flip a coin every turn to keep this effective, although it may be ended any turn. If heads, the caster loses control of their other side, which will be controlled by the DM this turn. If tails, then the caster is in absolute control of their counterpart and is able to use it

as another player, and gains +1 MNP (Dark Side has half the HP the original caster had and cannot cast spells)

Rank-6 Darkness within Darkness (5MP): Non-combat attack. Roll Daoism against a difficulty based on the brightness of the room. (Pitch-black is DIF 5, Very brightly lit is DIF 25) If this succeeds, you are transported through your own shadow to another nearby shadow determined by the DM. Yet mystery and manifestations

arise from the same source.

This source is called darkness.

Darkness within darkness.

The gateway to all understanding. - From the "Daodejing," first chapter ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hindu Hinduism is a religion that has long straddled the border of Western and Eastern religious traditions, though it is decidedly Eastern. They (or most of them, anyway) believe in the Brahman, a non-anthropomorphic monist oversoul, of which they are merely facets, or ātman. They seek to return to the Brahman through attaining a state of moksha, detachment from physical pleasures. Until an ātman attains moksha, they believe they are doomed to reincarnate as their soul seeks new bodies to fulfill its desires for pleasure. Thus, Hindu adventurer-philosophers have few offensive abilities, but can bolster their own powers through Yoga, which brings them closer to moksha. Being passive, they tend to get along just fine with anyone. Rank 1 Nyaya: (1 MP) Assault your opponent using arguments from the school of Hindu rationalists. Deals 1d6+LOG+CRE Causal damage. Using

this more than once a battle causes your alignment Quale to progress one level toward Absolute. Rank 2 Raja Yoga: (2 MP) You focus inward, heal your mind (HP) for 1d2+IMA, and shift your alignment to Subjective. Faith-type healing. Cannot be used on others. Rank 3 Samkhya: (3 MP) Separate your body and mind in the Hindu fashion, allowing you to take no Skill damage when performing Improvised Attacks. This lasts for MNP turns, but ends if you are hit for Monist damage. Also, you must flip a coin. If it lands heads, your Alignment Quale progresses one level towards Atheist.

Rank 4 Vedanta (4 MP): Vedanta is the scriptural, fundamental school of Hindu philosophy. Deals 2d6+RHE+CHA Monism damage, and shifts your alignment toward Religious. You must be using any Hindu Scripture as your Weapon Item to use this. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Utilitarian Utilitarians are the master number-crunchers of the philosophical world. While they claim no knowledge about grand schema, they believe wholeheartedly that the key to societal happiness, their ultimate goal, is the strict rationing of positive attributes and the marginalizing of the bad. This means, of course, that things like human happiness and pain are strictly quantifiable, and although they haven't yet figured out exactly how they can measure these things, it sure doesn't stop them from trying to spread their philosophy far and wide. Skill Tree: Rank-1 Negative Utility (1 MP): Dejustify your opponents’ actions, dealing 1d6+LOG+CRE Causal damage. This cannot be cast if your party

does not outnumber your opponents. Rank-4 Justified Ends (3MP): Channel the spirit of Macchiavelli to lash out against your foe. If this hits, you deal 2d6+LOG+CRE damage. If it misses, you take 1d6/2 damage rounded down and your party cannot use their CHA bonuses for one turn. Triage (5MP): Prevent damage to 1d6/2 rounded down friendly characters of your choice over the next round. One Character under 50% health is protected up to 2d6+(your)IMA, rolled now; Two Characters beneath 75% health may be protected up to 1d6+IMA, rolled now; and all characters over 75% are protected for IMA. Rank-6 Felicific Calculus (6MP): You deal Xd6+RHE+CRE damage, where X is each time you were hit by an argument or attack in the last round times two. This may be split over any enemies that struck you in the last round. "Intense, long, certain, speedy, fruitful, pure—

Such marks in pleasures and in pains endure.

Such pleasures seek if private be thy end:

If it be public, wide let them extend

Such pains avoid, whichever be thy view:

If pains must come, let them extend to few." –Utilitarian saying ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Positivist As far as the Positivists are concerned, there is no knowledge beyond scientific knowledge. Perpetual study and verification with an empirical mind set is the main concern of the Positivist. In the D&Dis universe, they tend to be the lone, quiet, yet quick to temper person who can't stand the other party members. However, they tend to come along because of their great fighting skills and their powerful abilities. Naturally, Charisma is completely unimportant, and all three Credibility stats are essential to the Positivist. Rank-1 Comtism (1MP): Utilize the views of one of Positivism's earliest thinkers to deal 1d6+LOG+CRE Progressive damage. This does

an extra Skill damage against Religious characters. Rank-3 Antijustificationism (3 MP): Remove KNO beneficial effects on the target character. If character is Subjective, you also deal 1d6 damage. Rank-4 Techno-Utopianism (4 MP): You deal 1d6+LOG+CHA Progressive damage to target. All enemy characters near your target and the same Class or Monster type as your target must beat the Skill roll you used to hit your target or suffer the same damage. Rank-5 Causal Interaction: (6 MP): Deal 3d6+LOG+CRE Causal damage to a single target. If you fail the Positivism roll to hit, you may try again with either Logic or Advanced Physics. Laplace's Demon (8 MP): Summon a tiny demon with RCH*3 HP. The Demon will remain in existence for up to three turns of combat or five minutes. The Demon is able to locate anything or anyone about which the character has personal knowledge, but only twice before it fades. If that knowledge is vague (such as "the city mentioned in this book"), the Demon has a 1d2 chance of returning false information about something similar somewhere. The Demon will rest on one creature's shoulder, chosen by the character, and can change shoulders instantly across any distance whenever the character wishes - the character needn't speak to the Demon or communicate in any way for the Demon to know what the character wishes. Anybody on whose shoulder (or closest approximate anatomical variation) the Demon resides will be able to act at any time during a turn provided they still have actions left, regardless of initiative or who is presently acting. The Demon cannot be ensnared by any means - it will simply disappear from the snare and reappear wherever the summoner desires. The Demon cannot take anything with it when it teleports. If Maxwell's Demon is present, they will fight to the death. If it is hit by a Physics attack, it will instantly die, and it cannot inhabit a shoulder protected by Physical Laws.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apologist Apologists are those who choose to systematically and fanatically defend the basis of a philosophy (almost always a religion) by questionably rational means. Their ranks are composed primarily of prominent Charismatics, and are often employed by the various Religions to go out, spy, and perhaps convince some hapless young Rationals to join their cause with their naively intriguing pseudoscientific notions. In fact, the very existence of Apologists is what really causes the majority of friction between Rationals and the various Religious denominations - but, whatever. Safe to say, they're here for a while. Just don't let them give you any magazines. Apologists must choose their religion upon creation, and they gain this as an additional Quale. Class Quale: Blind Faith: A number of times per day equal to the Apologist's level in Apologism, an Apologist can nullify any rational or causal attack used against him if the Apologist's CHA bonus is equal to or greater than that attacker's CRE bonus. The Apologist loses 1 CRE every time is used, which lasts for the rest of the day. Rank-1 Theodicy (1 MP): Deal 1d6+RHE+CHA damage. Rank-4 Creationism (3 MP): Deal 1d6+RHE+CHA Pseudoscientific damage. This does double damage to rational classes when it is not somehow defended against. Ontological Argument (4 MP): Deal 2d6+LOG+CHA Causal damage. Logical Fog(5 MP): All enemies must roll to defend until one loses, or all have defended successfully. All enemies who are the same Class or Monster type as the victim suffer 1d6 + MNP damage as the fog then attunes itself to the victims specific logical weaknesses. The smoky fog also obscures vision, and exudes to about fifteen feet from the casting location for about

five minutes before dissipating, although it no longer does damage unless the spell is recast. Rank-6 Selective Perception (8 MP): Non-combat attack. You disguise yourself as any class of your choice through sheer MNP, though you pay 1 additional MP for every MNP hours you maintain this illusion. This is immediately dispelled when anyone discovers the illusion who did not already know of it before. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nihilism Nihilists believe that there exists no inherent truth or value in objective knowledge or the structures derived from it, as an objective position is fallacious at best. As such, all values, beliefs and the institutions created to support them deserve destruction. Nihilists are often heretics or revolutionaries, using unorthodox methods to break down society.

Rank-1 Apostate( 4MP):Attribute heresy to target of Religious alignment, suppressing use of the abilities requiring that class for three turns or until they regain their faith as well as causing 1d6+RHE damage. Does no damage to Atheist or Agnostic opponents. Rank-2 Avant-Garde: The Nihilist draws upon the powers of Dada to create a twisted-looking shield around a target ally, which scatters KNO/2 damage thrown at it for X turns, where X equals the Nihilists Skill in Nihilism.

Rank-4 Engender Anomie (3MP): Shatters target's value structure with a blast of their opposing alignment. Causes status effect 'Existential Malaise', halving CON(rounded down) until target spends two turns (about 1 minute, real time) restructuring their belief systems. Rank-4 Will to Power (2 MP): Consume one Ability buff on the Nihilist, and transform its virtue into sheer power, dealing 3d6+RHE+CRE damage.

Rank-5 "God Is Dead." (5 MP) : The Nihilist proclaims that humanity has destroyed God and no longer has a use for Him. All Atheist and Agnostic party members and monsters gain +4 damage to all attacks, while all Religious party members and monsters must roll 1d6 against the Nihilist; if the Nihilist rolls higher than the party member or monster, that entity suffers -4 damage to all attacks. Effect lasts for X turns, where X equals the Nihilist's CHA/2.

Rank-6 Summon Übermensch(7 MP): Drawing on the fable of Zarathustra, the Nihilist brings into existence an uncontrollable superman that persists for MNP turns. This Übermensch has Skill (6) in every Skill imaginable, and a CON equal to double the caster's, but will uncontrollably seek the destruction of Absolute Religious characters and monsters. However, being bound to the Nihilist's power of metaphor, it will generally heed their advice as to which characters to destroy first. Class Quale: Detachment: Nihilists cannot be subject to any status changes, whether good or bad, when they have either full or 0 MP. They cannot be poisoned or weakened, but they cannot be made stronger or faster either. If a Nihilist casts a buff on himself, of course, he receives that buff, but only as long as he keeps his MP middling. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Transhumanism The future of humanity lies with technological advancement, and through technology Transhumanists hope to surpass human nature and become more than what we are now, both physically and mentally. Transhumanists are on a constant search for the piece of technology that will bring about the Singularity, and allow us to reach posthuman status. Until then, they choose to work on themselves, making alterations to their bodies to increase mental and physical power. While the starting H+ might only be a vegan practicing sudoku every chance he gets, the more advanced ones tend to resemble robots with a brain somewhere in there. Some eventually take the life of sedentary computers attacking the world's greatest problems, while

the more belligerent transhumanists prefer to be brain-powered tanks. Transhumanists rely on the three CRE stats exclusively. Charisma matters not to them.

Rank-1 Accelerating Returns (3 MP) Choose any one attribute to augment. For each turn during the battle after the ability is used, the H+ gains 1 point in that stat. (After five turns, the process stops and reverses itself until th H+ is back to normal. Just for in-game fairness.)

Rank-4 Powered Exoskeleton (4 MP) Summon an exoskeleton to help in a fight. It has an HP of 1d6+RCH, and increases CON by three. It also allows for the ability Techno-Utopianism (3 MP), which deals 1d6+KNO+LOG damage. Grey Goo (5 MP) Attempt an Improvised Attack. If successful, the H+ stabs his opponent with a needle containing some nanomachines designed to cause harm to the opponent. On the target's next turn, he receives one point of damage. On each subsequent turn, the damage dealt doubles.

Rank-6 Summon Posthuman Ideal (9 MP): The H+ transforms into a fully-functional cyborg 'Homo Superior'. This lasts for a number of turns equal to the H+'s KNO/2 BEFORE transformation, or until the H+ is taken out of action (whichever is sooner). Due to enhanced brainpower, inbuilt cybenetic links to some ethereal Internet-analogue, and genetic and biomechanical modification, the H+'s LOG, KNO, RCH, CON and IMA are doubled. Max and current HP and MP are modified with this: add the extra HP and MP (due to increased CON, KNO, IMA and RCH) to both current AND max HP and MP (say for instance, the H+ has 14 KNO and 5 IMA and 10 CON, 4 and say it has 35/49HP. After transformation, it will have 28 KNO, 10 IMA and 20 CON. It's new max HP will be 98, so its current HP will, therefore, be 35+(98-49) = 84.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Humanist Psychologist Focusing on the pinnacles of humanity rather than the dregs, Humanist Psychologists examine

the human mind to determine how best to improve it, using logic, experiment, and compassion. In the D&Dis universe, Humanist Psychologists adventure the worlds, examining human traits and interactions and analyzing the causes. In a battle, Humanists focus more on assisting their comrades and helping them reach their highest potential, and analyzing the nature of the enemy rather than actually attacking. They are more credible than charismatic, but charisma is still an important factor. Class Quale: Inner-Directedness: All Humanists start with this ability, giving their party a lower threshold for out of combat Problem solving. For example, If everyone is staring down a chasm with a threshold of 15 to cross, you will only need to roll a 12 if you have a humanist in the group.

Rank-1 Person Centered Approach (2 MP) The Person Centered Approach allows the client (the target party member) to increase any of their stats by one through self-actualization. The stat increase disappears after three rounds. Rank-4 Qualitative Research (3 MP) Qualitative Research allows the Humanist Psychologist to spend a turn analyzing the nature of the enemy's mind and the ways that it will likely attack. The HP rolls a d6 plus his LOG score, to beat the enemy's roll of d6 plus its MNP score. If the HP wins, the DM must reveal something about the enemies battle strategy. Primal Integration(4 MP): Solve a problem buried deep in your targets psyche with them, healing them for your 2d6+KNO+ their KNO + your CHA. Rank-6 Self-Actualization (8 MP) The Humanist fully heals the target (including lost stats and MP), and then allows the target to take his turn by dealing direct damage to an opponent equal to the target's CON*3. This can only be cast once per battle, and no party member can reach self-actualization twice or more in one day. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Discordianism Discordians are a tricky bunch. No one is certain how seriously they should be taken. Many of their skills are apparently left up to random chance, as is their philosophy. Class Quale: The Sacred Chao: The Sacred Chao symbolizes

absolutely everything anyone need ever know

about absolutely anything, and more! It even

symbolizes everything not worth knowing,

depicted by the empty space surrounding the

Hodge-Podge. – Malaclypse the Younger,

Principia Discordia, Page 00049 So, a Discordian can use either his Discordianism or another Skill (noted in the Ability) when attempting to hit with some of his Abilities. Rank-1 PAGE 00016: (4MP) Attempts to reduce the target's health by 1/5 of the target's total health, Five times in a row. The success of each attempt is determined by the roll of 1d6+CRE. Each Five rolled counts as a succesful attempt. If you roll a number that is not Five, but the sum of it and the next number you roll is Five, you are allowed an extra roll. This attack is capable of KOing the target if enough successful attempts are made, but may be wholly useless against some stronger targets. Rank-2 THE SHIELD OF THE PENTABARF: (2MP) (LITERATURE) The Pentabarf is the Discordian's most fundamental set of rules. The fifth of which states that "A Discordian is Prohibited from Believing What he Reads." You are able to fully shield yourself from Logic and Literary attacks for 1 round, reducing logic and literary damage by 1d6 in every subsequent round, but also reducing the caster's CREDIBILITY by 2 until the end of the battle. Rank-3 FIVE TONS OF FLAX: (4MP) When faced with any phiolosphical question, a Discordian may answer with "Five tons of flax". This confuses the questioner, giving the player a chance to escape. Roll 1d2+MANIPULATION. A roll of 4 or higher will result in a clean getaway, out of the reach of the present danger, but you will forfeit your right to any spoils of victory unless

you return to battle in a subsequent round. CONSULTATION: (2MP) (LOGIC) A Discordian may consult their pineal gland for +2 KNOWLEDGE for the remainder of the battle. Rank-4 MANTRA OF THE PENTABARF: (5MP) (ORATION) (DEFENSE ONLY) "There is no Goddess but Goddess and She is Your Goddess. There is no Erisian Movement but The Erisian Movement and it is The Erisian Movement. And every Golden Apple Corps is the beloved home of a Golden Worm." Chanting this counfounds and confuses all religious dogmatics, granting a chance to evade attacks of Oration, Logic, and Literature over the round, which is determined by a coin flip. Use of this mantra makes the player sound quite silly, and thus reduces his CHA by 2pts for the remainder of the battle. THE CURSE OF GREYFACE: (5MP) (LOGIC) By accepting that life is a serious business, followers of Greyface end up viewing things as either orderly or disorderly, granting sudden and inexplicable powers of either construction or destruction, respectively. In the early stages, as a young Discordian learns the ways of Constructive Chaos, he can at times feel overwhelmed by the order in the world. By rolling 1d6, this skill grants the user an attack of significant damage, but only if their roll is higher than their opponent's. Damage is determined by 4d6+CON+CHA. If the target's RESEARCH and KNOWLEDGE skills combined equal more than the players RESEARCH and KNOWLEDGE skills, he may roll a saving throw to achieve THE CURSE OF THE TURKEY, which reduces the effectiveness of this attack by 75%. If a lower number is rolled by the player on his initial 1d6 roll, the player gains the opportunity to offer constructive praise to one of his teammates, offering a minor HP restoration. Rank-5 AN ADDITIONAL SNUB: (7MP) (PHYSICS) Produces a Golden Apple with a random inscription which refers to one statistic. (IE. an apple saying "For the Most Popular" is aimed at CHA.) The monster with the highest rating in that stat will gladly accept the apple as a gift. The apple will eventually explode, causing 3d6+CHA-RHE damage. If two or more monsters posses equal ratings in the relevant stat, they will fight amongst themselves and become distracted, and the explosion damage will be

spread amongst them. Rank-6 IN THE GRIP OF THE YELLOW COVER: (10MP) When confronted by attacks of a philosophical nature, the Discordian may take refuge in the PRINCIPIA DISCORDIA, and by quoting (ir)relevant passages from its depths may disrupt incoming attacks some of the time by rolling 1d6 and seeing whether the number is above 3 (refutation success) or 3 or under (refuation failure), reflecting damage back on the attacker. This ability may result in a critical hit (when a six is rolled), which requires the player expend all his MP in refuting the attack. The attacker, when hit by this crit, may use only physical attacks for the rest of the battle, or until the player is removed from battle by death or running away. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kantian Kantian philosophers follow the writings of their namesake, Immanuel Kant. Their main belief is in that of striving towards a universal moral law and philosophy that Kant postulated should be able to be discovered. They hold duty, good will (their concept of it), and anti-dogmatism in the highest regard. Thus, while many are religious, they do have an air of genuine Credibility, and are generally considered Rational. They also tend to be quite permissive of other religions, as they also all believe in the establishment of a single world government as necessary to acheiving this ideal universal philosophy. Kantians tend to rub a little on some Humanists who believe their philosophy is but an outdated, non-secular version of their own, and distrust Utilitarians, as they believe the uniting of Math and Philosophy to be generally fallacious. Naturally, their favored alignment is Absolute Religious, but some admit to being Agnostic.

Rank-1 Good Will: (1 MP) Absorb a Skill effect (also called an enchantment) on your character, and gain KNO HP. Rank-3

Universal Law: (3 MP) Unleash a volley of arguments for a non-dogmatic universal moral law. Deals 2d6+LOG+CHA damage.

Rank-4 Cosmical Conception: (4 MP) Summon an ethereal Ideal Teacher that has 1 HP, a Skill rating of (6) and lasts MNP turns. This Teacher negates all Skill damage done to a single Skill of your choice. Rank-6 Perpetual Peace: (6 MP) Roll once against all enemies - all enemies must defend. Those enemies that you hit are pacified and cannot attack until they take another hit. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Popperian The Popperian follows the writings of Sir Karl Raimund Popper, a highly influential philosopher who lived in the early 20th century. He specialized in many things, as most more modern philosophers do, but is primarily remembered for his scientific and political philosophy, and was one of the first modern proponents of what we would today call "liberalism." Due to his relative newness to the philosophical world, his followers are fewer in number than some, but generally respected, and highly Credible. Class Quale: Popperianism: When used outside of combat, Popperianism can be used for such diverse purposes as debating, studying scientific theories and analyzing social systems. This versatility should of course be countered with DM regulations (such as increased difficulty). Rank-1 Refute Non-Science (2 MNP): Refutes a Pseudoscientific attack, dealing 1d6 + RHE + CRE Rhetoric damage. Must be cast during a battle. Does not consume a turn. Rank-2 Falsify Scientific Theory (Requires Logic 1)(3 MP): Falsifies an entire scientific theory (Attack using a Credible stat) by finding a single flaw, deals 1d6 + LOG Causal damage and interrupting the Ability. This consumes the philosophers Attack turn this round.

Rank-3 Unforced Dialogue (Requires Oration 1)(3 MP): The philosopher attempts to convince an opponent or opponents to do something specific like making peace or letting him pass (with increased difficulty for each enemy except the first two). Commencement of the dialogue has to be voluntary (done through role-playing), but after that a successful philosopher can make his opponent agree with him through the sheer power of argument, allowing him to roll his Popperism skill if he fails his Oration check. Rank-4 Historical Indeterminism (Requires Oration 1 and Logic 2)(2 MP): Reveals to a Historicist(Marxists, or Hegelians) philosopher the gaping void of uncertainty that is the future, deals 2d6 + CRE + LOG damage. Rank-5 Epistemological Evolution (Requires Logic 3)(5 MP): An advanced version of Falsification, this attack disproves the enemy’s theory and replaces it with a better one, dealing 2d6 + KNO + RES damage and an extra Skill damage to a scientific Skill your enemy possesses, of your choice. Rank-6 Open Society (Requires Oration 3 and Logic 2)(8 MP): An advanced version of unforced dialogue. The philosopher forces everybody, including his own party members, to stop fighting (increased difficulty for each target except the first four, voluntary targets do not increase difficulty). Depending on the level of success, the DM will decide a number of turns that must be used for healing and similar activities and trying to negotiate a solution to the conflict. Some characters may not be viable targets. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Roman Catholic (Theologian)

Roman Catholicism is one of the largest, oldest orthodox systems of Christian faith still rolling around the Discourse universe. While most

agree that the best years of Catholic philosophy are well behind them since the rise of the secular Rational Empire, they once held enormous sway in Western thought, particularly after the fall of the original Greeks and Romans. The Theologian variant of the Roman Catholic philosophers focuses on the mystic aspects of Catholicism, summoning saints to his aid and performing miracles. Heavily orthodox, they don’t tend to get along with other Religions or even Rationals very well, but are frequently towed along anyway due to their prowess in Faith healing. Rank 1 Exorcism (1 MP) The Roman Catholic Philosopher channels holy power to smite his enemies. Increases Improvised Attack damage against Religious and Non-Judeo - Christian Charismatics by +CHA, while activated, and +1 to that if the opposing character is both. If the opposing philosopher is Possessed, the Philosopher gains a *2 damage bonus to Exorcism, but may be overwhelmed (CON check) by the sheer power of the Philosopher, and be stunned for a significant period of time. Costs 1 MP per turn to keep activated.

Rank 4 Transubstantiation (3 MP) The Roman Catholic Philosopher turns a nearby object into the Bread of Life and feeds it to a nearby Philosopher or Follower. This ability can restore HP by 1d6+IMA+CHA (Faith-type) rounded, rejuvenate MP by CHA, or buff a single stat for 3 turns by one. At high levels this ability can be used by the Philosopher to restore his own MP. Once used, the philosopher must wait two rounds before using it again. Communion of Saints (3 MP) The Roman Catholic Philosopher calls on a favored member of the Communion of Saints, temporarily gaining a free special ability or buff, so long as that Philosopher is a Venerator of that Saint (as one of their Quale). This ability must be role-played, costs 1 MP per turn to keep activated and an additional cost for the special ability used. Example: If invoked, St. Rita, patron saint of lost causes, might bestow a small recovery of HP and Skill to a battle-weary philosopher. Martyrdom (2 MP)

If a Philosopher or ally of the group has been killed the previous turn, every Philosopher of the group gains a +2 bonus for 3 turns to a single stat of the Philosopher's choice. Rank 6 Resurrection (10 MP) The Roman Catholic Philosopher channels divine power to attempt to return a friendly Philosopher or follower to life. The Philosopher must make a check of 1d6+CHA+CON against a stat of 20+(Level)/2. If successful, the target returns to life; if not, the Roman Catholic Philosopher is instantly reduced to 1 HP and 1 MP. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Unitarian Universalist Although lacking an official creed or dogma, Unitarian Universalist congregations typically respect the Principles and Purposes of the Unitarian Universalist Association. As with most actions in Unitarian Universalism, these were created in committee, and affirmed democratically by a vote of member congregations, proportional to their membership, taken at an annual General Assembly (a meeting of delegates from member congregations). The full Principles, Purposes and Sources can be found in the article on the Unitarian Universalist Association. The Principles are as follows: "We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote -The inherent worth and dignity of every person; -Justice, equity and compassion in human relations; -Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations; -A free and responsible search for truth and meaning; -The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large; -The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all; -Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part." Rank-1 Variable Truth (2 MP): Because UU's believe all things have a grain of truth in them, they are able

to accept any philosophy and/or belief and let it flow past them harmlessly. A UU may cast this on himself or a friend. Once Rank-4 Web of Existence (5 MP): A UU can think along the idea that we are all connected to understand where an enemy is coming from, and thus receives an extra die to defense. This not only affects him, but his entire party. Elevator Speech (3 MP): Give a short speech capable of what it means to be a Unitarian (just short enough to fit an elevator ride). This speech is invariably so confusing in its short conciseness that the target spends turns equal to the UU's CHA/2 paralyzed, rounded down. Rank 4 Adaptable Religion (4 MP): In the UUA pamphlet, it is said that UUs draw from many sources to create their religion. This fact allows a UU to imitate any Religious Class ability that they have seen recently (an hour ago or less). Rank-6 Universal Communion (7 MP): By tapping his ability to elucidate a spiritual sensation in everyone, A UU can put out an aura of absolute conviction that bolsters his allies stats and frightens his enemies into lower stats (buff/debuff equal to his CHA.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Egoism Egoism stresses the nature of the self, and the importance of acting in self-interest. Egoists do their best not to rely on anyone else, and do not work exceptionally well with others. They are not inherently bad, but serve their own needs above anyone else. Egoists can be easily spotted because they are the only people who will ever read Ayn Rand. Rank-1 Self-Preservation (1 MP): Attack any enemy that has already attacked you previously for 1d6+LOG+CRE damage. Rank-4 Self-Empowerment (3 MP): Boost all seven of your stats for 1d4 turns.

Selfism (4 MP): Lasts for MNP hours. Whilst this is active, the Egoist is unconditionally considered morally superior. Rank-6 Suitheism (10 MP): Manifest as your own personal deity. Doubles the stats of all summoned monsters you control, and your KNO and IMA are raised by +5 (does not impact your total HP). Lasts MNP+RHE minutes/rounds. May not be used by non-Chaotic characters. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pragmatist A pragmatist is the other side of the fine line that separates skepticism and believability. They respect knowledge but only if the knowledge itself has proven its respect. Most if not all pragmatists are rational beings that only seeing real evidence and hard facts as important in real life. Rank-1 Conceptualism (2MP) The caster proves that the opposing attack is only part of the imagination and will shut off connections to their mind and subconscious. Roll 2d6. If the total is even you take quarter damage next time you are attacked, if odd, half damage. Rank-3 Darwinian Thinking (4MP): This allows the caster to be totally oblivious to any Creationist ideas thrown at him. Religious or Pseudoscientific attacks deal (1d6+LOG) less damage. Rank-4 Instrumentalism (3MP) Since theories and concepts are mere instruments that are only worth how much they can prove and explain phenomena. The caster challenges the enemy to prove their spell’s worth. If the enemy is unable to come to a worthy conclusion their spell is rendered ineffective for the next 2 turns to your entire team, if it is a buff it will not have any effect on the people it is cast upon. Fact-Value Distinction (5MP)

This spell can only be cast upon irrational beings and semi-rational beings. The caster goes into a long story of the differences of how even though something that is doesn’t mean that something is supposed to be. The confused enemy casts a random spell that, if it targets enemies, will target friendly targets instead and vice-versa. Verification(ism) (6MP) The caster questions their opponent to verify their claim to see if there is any analytical truth to it. If the spell invoked a Credible attribute, the spell stands. If it did not, the spell is negated and damage is dealt to the enemy’s HP and MP equal to the casters (KNO+MAN)*(1/2).

Rank-6 The pragmatist is able to stop any buff that the enemy is casting and cast it upon their own team, multiplied in duration by 1d6. Also (IMA+MAN+CON)/ 1d2(round up) can be dealt in damage to the enemy, or it can be used to heal all teammates (however only once per turn). Every turn this spell is active the caster must tribute 8MP and 8HP to keep it in effect. If you cannot match the tribute, the caster will die. If you stop the spell then the caster is immobilized for 2 turns from sheer exhaustion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Epicurean An Epicurean believes that inner peace can be gained by seeking simple pleasures in life. They do not believe in good and evil or god and the devil, they only believe in emotions such as pleasure and fear; and anything detectable by the senses which may cause one to feel either of these emotions or any lesser emotions which would fall under or are similar to one of the two categories. Rank-1 The Epicurean Paradox (2MP): Put one of religious alignment on the spot by pointing out the flawed logic surrounding their definition of their god(s). Suppressed their Rank 1-3 abilities for a few turns until they can come up with a suitable counter argument as well as dealing 1d6+RHE+LOG damage. Rank-2 Zeno’s Paradox (3 MP): Invoke a famous conundrum and cause airborne projectiles to

never reach your location, paralyzing them in midair. This extends to LOG party members, lasts CHA rounds, and protects against Kinematics’ extra skill damage. When it ends, the frozen projectiles clatter harmlessly to the ground. Rank: 4 Tetrapharmakos (3MP): Following the belief that what is terrible is easy to endure, an epicurean my endure MNP amount of damage dealt to them by a specific philosophy Fearlessness of Death (4MP): Epicureans valuing pleasures such as friendship and disregarding death may take any and all damage dealt to a fellow party member by a philosophy targeting them. Metakosmia (7 MP): The Caster of this philosophy retreats to Metakosmia, the space between the worlds for 1d6*1/2 turns. During this retreat he may not be damaged, however any creatures summoned to his aid will remain in the normal plain of existence. Also, while in metakosmia one may not regenerate HP, MP, or any other stats. Rank: 6 Unrestrained Force(15 MP and 1 or 2 CON): Since Epicureans do not believe in right and wrong, an epicurean if provoked is willing to inflict undue amounts of pain unto an enemy because of his/her lack of morals. Causes (CON*2)+1d6+RHE damage however after use the characters CON is temporarily reduced by one due to the epicureans regret. If the target monster or character perishes as a result of this attack the epicurean is twice as regretful and therefore his/her CON diminishes by two. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Existentialism Followers of Sartre, Existentialists believe the universe is inherently Chaotic, and life has no meaning except for what one makes of it. Existentialists are usually rather ouspoken and charismatic, having defended their ideals all of their lives; this gives them high Conviction and Charisma, but the variability of their philosophy can lend itself to more Credible endeavours, too. Existentialists tend to rub the wrong way with the councils of Utopia and Numinous, so they

make their base in the Global Village with other neutral classes. Class Quale: Existence precedes Essence- It is impossible to damage an Existentialist's MP; also, Existentialists regenerate MP at a slightly faster rate than other Philosophers. Rank-1 Subjective Values (3 MP)- The Existentialist chooses to decide an attack directed against him or an ally isn't valuable, and the attack ceases to exist, causing no damage. This move can be used as either a buff or a counterattack. Rank-4 The Gaze(10 MP, and may only be used twice daily)-Roll 2d6 plus IMA+MNP, and your opponent does the same (if a Monster, it rolls CON+ its current highest Skill number). If your total is higher than your opponent's, the opponent is frozen for the difference between the two numbers; If your number is 6 or more above theirs, you have the option of imposing your will upon the opponent and taking control of them. This takes a lot of concentration though, so you only have control of them for the difference between the numbers, divided by 2. If the difference was an odd number, you round down to the next even number, and use that as your control time, as well as add one turn of "static." This move can only be used twice a day. Bad Faith (4 MP): The Existentialist proves to his opponent that he (the opponent) is responsible for all of his actions, and every move he makes, he's destroying limitless other opportunities. The opponent falls into anguish over this and takes damage equal to Max HP/10 every turn he acts. If the opponent passes his turn, he takes no damage, and one di is added to his next defensive roll. Bad Faith can be dispelled like any other Status Effect. Perspectives On God- Variable ability- This skill is unique in that it depends on the Existentialist's religious Quale. It varies depending on whether the Existentialist is Religious, Agnostic, or Atheistic. Atheist- The Atheistic Existentialist gains use of the Nihilistic ability, Apostate.

Agnostic-Dogmatic Apathy (6 MP): The Existentialist believes one can't know the "Greater Picture," and argues thus to anyone; He can choose to cast this skill, and for 3 turns, gains plus 4 to any defensive rolls against an opponent with a Religious or Atheistic Quale. Religious- The Religious Existentialist gains a weakened version of the Apologist ability, Blind

Faith; A number of times per day equal to the Existentialist's level in Existentialism/2, the Existentialist can nullify any rational or causal ability used against him if the Existentialist's CHA bonus is greater than the attacker's CRE bonus. Rank-6 The Good Life (15MP) (May only be used once a day): The Existentialist revels in his ability to choose any action, and for X turns (equal to his main skill), The Existentialist can attack twice, and every roll gets one di added (For example, if he attacks with Oration (3), he rolls 4d6). The move is draining though, and the Existentialist must rest for X turns +1 only able to defend and use items; additionally, all defensive rolls lose 1 di, unless the defending skill only has (1) in the skill. This skill may only be used once daily. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spinozan The Spinozans are adherents to the doctrine of Baruch Spinoza, a philosopher of the 1600s who was one of the first Western philosphers since the Greeks to argue for secular government, pantheism, and determinism. Spinozans believe that the universe - and God, which they like to refer to as G-D, the Judaist name Spinoza used to differentiate his concept from orthodoxy - are all part of a single substance, and that things that are are merely variations of that substance. The many implications of this went against much of society at the time, but Spinoza's work went on to influence nearly all later philosphers interested in secularism and rationalism. They tend to rub on many orthodox Religious types, though, particularly Judaists.

Rank-1 Attribute (1 MP): Sharpen the greatest attribute of your personal substance and bolster the highest of your Attributes by 1. This lasts LOG

hours, and cannot stack. Def. IV. By attribute, I mean that which the

intellect perceives as constituting the essence of

substance.

Rank-3 Mode (4 MP): Deal 2d6+LOG+CRE Monism damage by messing with the attribute of your opponents. Also removes one beneficial status effect from them.

Def. V. By mode, I mean the modifications of

substance, or that which exists in, and is

conceived through, something other than itself. Rank-5 Substance (9 MP): Instantly reduce most normal enemies into a single substance, defeating them instantly. If this misses, it costs only the normal cost. If it hits, it saps 50% of your maximum MP, rounded up. Does not work on God-like Monsters. Def. III. By substance, I mean that which is in

itself, and is conceived through itself; in other

words, that of which a conception can be formed

independently of any other conception. Rank-6 G-D (7 MP): Attempt to replace your opponents concept of God with a universally acceptable notion. Deals Monism damage worth 3d6+LOG+CRE versus Atheist opponents, 5d6+LOG+CRE Dissonance damage against Absolute Religious opponents, and 4d6+LOG+CRE Monism damage against all other opponents.

Prop. XVIII. No one can hate G-D. -- All taken from Spinoza's Ethics ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Buddhism Buddhists are followers of the teachings of Siddhārtha Gautama, or (as he is widely known) the Buddha, who lived around 500 BC. Widely considered a religion due to its mystical leanings, Buddhists nonetheless reject many traditional

metaphysical concepts, such as both being and non-being. They also reject the Hinduist tradition of scriptural appeal, and are thus highly anti-dogmatic (this has recently led to Zen Buddhism, which rejects, to a large degree, even the teachings of Buddha), differentiating them from Hindus. Like other Asian philosophers, Buddhists generally go out not to accrue physical wealth, but simply to experience life and test themselves. Their prime goal is the elimination of suffering in its many forms, but they believe the initiative to do this must come from within, particularly if one is to alleviate spiritual suffering. Class Quale: Life Is Suffering: When attacked by an enemy, a Buddhist may choose not to defend against the attack. If he does so, he loses 1 MP and takes half damage (rounded down) from that attack. Rank-1 Emptiness (1 MP): If this hits, it deals no HP damage, only skill damage, and costs no MP. "Emptiness is form; form is just emptiness. Apart

from form, emptiness is not; emptiness, form is

not. Emptiness is that which is form, form is that

which is emptiness. Just thus are perception,

cognition, mental construction, and

consciousness."

"What?"

"Now you're starting to get it!" Rank-3 Four Noble Truths (5 MP): You may attack up to four enemies. Once you have determined how many of these you have hit, you may roll Xd6+RHE+CHA, where X is the amount of enemies you attacked. Each enemy is hit for Rhetoric damage worth the total damage divided by the number of enemies you attacked, and all lose 1 Skill damage, as normal. If the damage comes to a non-whole number, the caster may move around a damage point or two as they like. Rank-4 The Middle Way (4 MP): Non-combat attack. Sets the Buddhist's alignment to Agnostic Subjective.

Rank-5 Noble Eightfold Path (9 MP): You may attack up to eight enemies. Once you have determined how many of these you have hit, you may roll (1+X)d6+RHE+CHA, where X is the amount of enemies you attacked. Each enemy is hit for Rhetoric damage worth this damage divided by the number of enemies you attacked, and all lose 1 Skill damage, as normal. If the damage comes to a non-whole number, the caster may move around a damage point or two as they like. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Psychoanalyst Psychoanalysts, also called Freudians, are the psychiatrists of the Discourse universe who focus on the approach to therapy started by Sigmund Freud. Possibly the oldest kind of psychotherapy, Psychoanalysis assumes that we are all at the beck and call of numerous unconscious urges that, when they come into conflict or become unbalanced, cause mental ailments. While in modern times this has been seen by serious psychologists as somewhat pseudoscientific (particularly many older notions) Psychoanalysis still remains one of the leading approaches to therapy. Naturally, there is much call for psychoanalysts as defense specialists on the lines of battle in Discourse, and many of the more adventurous souls respond heartily. Rank-1 Defense Mechanism (2 MP): By probing an ally's psyche, you bring forth a benevolent manifestation of said characters personality traits. This Mechanism will take damage for that ally equal to your KNO + their IMA. Rank-3 Sublimation (4 MP): Help an ally channel his psychic energies towards more positive outlets, and heal for 2d6+KNO+CRE HP. (Rational-type) Rank-4 Drive (5 MP): Unleash the power of Eros and Thanatos in yourself or an ally, Rationally healing your target for 1d6+KNO+CHA and powering their next attack by 1d6+your RHE

+your CRE. Rank-6 Psychodynamics (5 MP + 2 MP per round afterwards): Harness the power of free association to heal an ally continuously. You and that ally become unable to attack or use other Skills as the therapy progresses, but your ally is healed Rationally for 3d6+KNO+CHA the first round and 2d6+KNO+CHA (using your Attributes) every following round until one of the participants decides to conclude it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Muslim (Skill name: Islam) Considered the second largest major organized religion in the world, Islam, the religous philosophy of those who call themselves Muslims, is a monotheistic religion in the Western tradition. Building upon the teachings that came before, Muslims added the holy book of the Qu'ran, revealed by Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allāh, to their repertoire of revelation around 632 BC, and have considered themselves a separate faith ever since. Modern Muslim philosophers generally enjoy a balance between rationality and faith, although when the two conflict on terms of ethics the latter (faith) generally trumps the former (although, interestingly, not as much in metaphysics). In terms of relations, Muslims generally get along pretty well with those who prefer any Western monotheistic faith, barring the odd war or twoThey are generally ambivalent towards atheists and deists, though, and officially dislike polytheists altogether, though rational Muslims normally endeavor to be polite.

Rank-1 Five Pillars (1 MP): Non-combat Ability. The Muslim can manifest up to five pillars from the ground to block off corridors or entrap a single unaware enemy. Each is about a foot around, up to seven feet high, and has MNP HP before they break, and has one of the names of the actual Five Pillars of Islam on it (thus they can each be differentiated from each other). It takes all five to entrap an enemy, however they can also be summoned one at a time once the Ability is cast though the Ability must be recast to relocate any of these pillars. Using the Pillars to lift an object is subject to a DIF check on one's Islam skill, but is at -5 DIF compared to Physics. Ilm-al-Kalam (1 MP): The Islam rationalist school of thought. Deals 1d6+LOG+CHA Causal damage, and shifts one's alignment temporarily to Subjective until another Ability is used. Rank-3 Averroism (3 MP): Shake the foundations beneath any philosopher not resistant to Ethnocentrism and shine the light of the Islamic Golden Age on them. Deals 2d6+RHE+CHA Dissonance damage, double that against undead, and half against those resistant. Rank-6 Tai al-Ardh (7 MP): If you have raised the Five Pillars in the same location, you may use them to perform a minor miracle and create a teleportation gate to any place you have been before. Once the gate is closed again, the Pillars are consumed and this must be recast.

The Common Skills (by page)

28 Jurisprudence (Sense Alignment), Syncretism (Sense Motive)

29 Music (Listening)

30 Logic (Puzzle Solving)

31 Sociology (Scanning Enemies)

32 Literature (Literacy)

33 Oration (Bluffing)

34 Basic Physics (Physical Prowess)

35 Math (Skill Checks), Biology (Physical Healing)

36 Visual Art (Crafting)

38 Linguistics (Language)

39 Computer Sciences (Elite) (Needs Math 3, Logic 4) (Computers)

41 Advanced Physics (Elite)(Needs 6 Basic Physics, 6 Math)(Dualism Immunity)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Syncretism The fine art of blurring the line between an opponent's ideology and your own, looking for similarities, Syncretism is a favorite of Subjective and Chaotic philosophers. When used outside of combat, Syncretism allows one checks against Oration bluffs and the ability to occasionally divine hidden motives due to their knowledge of twisting the truth. Rank-1 Kerannumi (1 MP): Transfer up to 1d6+KNO of your HP to another player. Cannot be used on the dead or dying. Kerannumi ("To Mix") allows one to temporarily sidestep the logical barriers separating you and another and directly lend out your belief to them. This is pretty handy when the enemy is trying to break you down one-by-one, rather than spreading the damage around. Rank-3 Syncresis, Benign (3 MP): Temporarily gain access to an allies ability for MNP/2 turns. This can be cast as a Syncretism ability during this time, but retains all other properties. Only one ability may be borrowed at a time. Rank-5 Blending (6MP): A master Syncretist can negate damage they took a round before and add it to their own attack, of 1d6+RHE+KNO. If the attack is defeated, they may not negate any damage. Rank-6

Syncresis, Malign (6 MP): Temporarily gain access to an enemy’s ability for MNP/2 turns. This can be cast as a Syncretism ability during this time, but retains all other properties. Only one ability may be borrowed at a time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jurisprudence While nearly every adventuring philosopher finds himself wrestling with various conceptions of good, evil, and everything in between (sometimes literally), the study of various ethical codes is something that is neutral to all philosophers. While there are only a few Abilities that are particular to Jurisprudence, it has the potential to harbor many hybrid Abilities. Familiarity with various ethical systems allows one to judge what an enemy’s Alignment Qualia are, based on how long ago you have met them. At a glance is hardest (20-25 DIF), someone you've known for a few minutes is moderately tough (10-15 DIF), and someone you've been with for hours or longer is pretty easy (5 DIF).

Rank-2

Moral High Ground (4 MP) Use debating abilities to make your position seem morally superior to opponent's. Creates a wall that blocks damage equal to LOG+IMA*2 + HP/2. The skill only works when Roleplayed effectively (the caster must make a highly believable case for their ethical

superiority). Grundnorm (2 MP): Tap the theories of Kelsen to produce an ethical argument that gets stronger the more you can identify with your target. Deals 1d6+LOG+CRE Progressive damage, and deals +2 damage for each Skill or Quale you have in common with your target.

Rank-5 Leviathan (8 MP): Channel the power of Hobbes, and summon a leather-bound beast born of social contract who recognizes you as its absolute sovereign. The Leviathan possesses Jurisprudence equal to its master's full Jurisprudence, and has a CON equal to its masters MNP. (Thus, its HP is MNP*6) The Leviathan has the Quale Absolute and Religious, lasts until dead (but cannot be healed) and cannot be manipulated to perform acts outside its masters will, with no exceptions.

This done, the multitude so united in one

person is called a COMMONWEALTH;

in Latin, CIVITAS. This is the generation

of that great LEVIATHAN, or rather, to

speak more reverently, of that mortal

god to which we owe, under the

immortal God, our peace and defence. - Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Music Music is not a forgotten art in the Discourse universe. It still comprises

perhaps the best way to educate the ignorant masses about your favorite religion or philosophy. Add this to the added capability to totally rock out, and perhaps you can see why it persists. Literacy in Music bestows knowledge of the various sounds produced in Discourse as well an inclination to jam, and an ability to notice ambient sounds others might miss due to your well-trained ears - but only when you purposefully listen closely. In order to use Musical abilities, you must have a musical instrument equipped as your Combat item. Musical instruments typically have a base value of 1, being pretty common, and it takes you a turn to warm up if you do this in combat. Swapping back to a normal weapon, however, is a free action. Rank-1 Solo (1 MP): Improvise a stirring theme to strike at the heart of your enemy. Deals 1d6+RHE+CHA sonic damage. Leitmotif (3 MP): Summon a Recurring Theme that deals MNP damage per turn and has 1 HP. This disappears when you put away your instrument or run out of MP Rank-2 Duet (5MP): You and a teammate with Music are able to perform a beautiful duet that captivates the enemy’s mind and soul. This saps only your MP, and allows the teammate to attack with you. Each hit by either Musician deals (RHE+MNP)*2. Also, flip a coin once. If you get the toss, the enemy becomes so stunned they lose their next turn. Encore (5MP): Roll Xd6, X being the

number of people in your party, to see if you are allowed to play again in the same turn. Rank-4 Dance Beat(4MP): Play a beat heavy theme, exciting the listeners into a dance. Allies of the musician will find their ability to hit augmented by (Music Skill)+MNP, as the beats correlate with their own actions, while opponents take a penalty of MNP/2, rounded up, as they find themselves off beat and off balance. This lasts one round of turns, and must hit at least one enemy. Rank-5 Sonata (6 MP): All characters bearing a musical instrument have their musical instruments become value 6 Weapon Items for their next turn sequence, including yours. Any player who busts out a Solo during this time deals + your MNP damage on that solo. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Logic Logic is the primary tool of the Credible philosopher, but while philosophers are usually naturally adept at it to varying degrees, one can also study its roots and fundamentals to gain special insight and power. Users of Logic can innately figure out small, logical problems better than their fellows. Thus, when confronted by a complex foreign object such as a cryptic scroll or a Rubik's Cube, they can roll their Logic in order to identify it, its contents or its function.

Rank-1 A Posteriori (1 MP): Deal an opponent a devastating counterstrike by firing off a swift rebuttal. You deal 1d6+LOG+CRE Causal damage to the next opponent that hits you when he hits you. A Priori (3 MP): Non-combat attack. In order to find a specific place, object or person, you roll your Logic against a Difficulty based on the evidence of the objects' passing around you (5 for several items of evidence, 15 for no evidence, 25 for an object being masked/hidden somehow). If you succeed, the DM reveals something about the item's location that you did not previously know.

Rank-2 Entailment (5 MP): Your allies now deal +your LOG damage every time they deal damage. This effect ends when any of your allies miss. Rank-4 Compactness Theorem (4 MP): Non-combat. Any infinite set of formulae which has a model has, as a subset, some finite set of formulae with a model. This means that when making a Logic check (cryptic scroll, Rubik's cube, see above), they add their (LOG*2) to the roll. (Based on the idea that it's easier to look for a solution to a finite set of formulae than an infinite set of formulae, the idea is that appealing to compactness can simplify logical puzzles) Rank-6 Invalidity (6 MP): This skill can only be used to defend against any non-causal attack. If your opponent loses the skill roll, its attack is deemed to be an invalid argument, and so it cannot use the ability

it used to attack again during the course of the battle. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sociology The systematic and scientific study of society, including patterns of social relationships, social action, and culture, Sociology attracts philosophers eager to find real laws and associations that govern the ever-clashing factions of Discourse. Of course, in learning about these, a philosopher learning Sociology also learns to identify the various animate things in Discourse, including Monsters. So, a philosopher with ranks in Sociology may roll their Sociology Skill in order to identify the specific stats of a Monster (CON, HP and Skills). The DIF check is roughly based on how easy it is to perceive the monster when the philosopher makes the check. These range from plain sight (5 DIF) to obscured/hidden (around 15 DIF) to only known through traces left behind (around 25 DIF)

Rank-1

Socialization Theory(1 MP + 1MP per turn): Deals 1d6+LOG damage whenever target Absolute enemy is healed by another. Lasts until the caster no longer chooses to pay another MP. Convinces an opponent that their beliefs are the product of others and not completely their own, inducing a self-righteous and potentially self-harming rage.

Arrow's Impossibility (2 MP): You cause an action being performed by a group (coordinated attack, constructing a supercomputer to destroy the world, determination of where to go for dinner, etc.) to suffer a penalty equal to your LOG to the chance of any action's success, provided you are directly, positively, and meaningfully contributing to the action. This action must "piggyback" on the contributing action - it is not an action on its own.

Rank-2 Foucault’s Power-Knowledge (3 MP): Add KNO as damage to your attacks. This effect ends on any turn you do not deal damage.

Rank-4 Social Construct (6 MP): Create a Social Construct with (RCH) HP. This Social Construct possesses 1 Skill point in Social Construction for each unique Skill set each member of your party possesses, deals damage per turn to a single target equivalent to the average CHA of the party, and lasts until dismissed by any member of the party or a party member dies. If men define situations as real, they are

real in their consequences. - The Thomas Theorem ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Literature Another one of the oldest skills of Discourse, knowledge of Literature

means that your character can access reserves of knowledge held in books and writing both more efficiently and clearly. The hero with Literature can also communicate in writing more fluently, which has been a useful skill for the odd philosopher who finds himself in a backwards, degenerate regime in need of an overhaul... Literature can be used whenever a character tries to communicate through writing, but a check for that is not always necessary. They are also used when searching for knowledge in libraries and archaic tomes, as well as for seeing through some sorts of magical word obscuration (although the Cryptography skill is usually more useful.) Literacy cannot be used to decipher other languages - that is the domain of Linguistics.

Rank-1 Sphere of Naturalism (1 MP): That theory espoused by writers such as Hardy, Brecht and Zola, using this skill the literary critic can negate any effects considered to be surreal or romantic within 5 feet of the target, and only allow purely everyday concepts to occur for that turn. The effects are often weak against monsters stronger than the caster, however. Rank-2

Reader Response Criticism (2 MP): Allows the critic to interpret an attack to his advantage, healing them for up to half of the value of an attack. This consumes the critics attack turn, however. Literature (3 MP): Amelioration: Negate

up to 1d6 dmg + KNO + CRE done to an ally.

Rank-3 Contextnomy (4 MP): Ability to take the opponent's quotations out of context and use them in retaliation. Any verbal attack can be subjected to contextnomy and be reflected back at the attacker on the next turn. This consumes the defenders Attack turn, however, and semi-linguistic attacks such as Music are only reflected for half value. Formalism (3 MP): Separate your feelings from your analysis and critique the enemy for damage equal to your Literature skill. Then, every turn after that, continue your narrow analysis upon the enemy, dealing an extra point of damage per turn in addition to the Lit skill damage. Ends when you stop using Literature attacks. Rank-4 Composition (5MP): If you have a writing utensil currently equipped or in your inventory, it becomes the fabled weapon “Mightier Than A Sword” for this attack, turning it into a rank 6 weapon with a +3 against all written or spoken attacks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Oration Oration, or Oratory, is the art of making a good, precise argument in a verbal way. Many of the first great battles of the Discourse universe were fought

almost exclusively in Oration, before written language became more common. Today, it attracts students eager to learn the ancient Charismatic stylings of rhetoric, which tend to help them find ears elsewhere. Your Oration skill can be used to convince unwilling others of the truth and importance of your words, whether or not they are true and important. The DIF check is based on how tough it is to convince the other person, and if the other person has skill in Oration, they also get a counter-roll on top of that, if they so choose. Rank-1 Quick Tongue (1 MP)- Deal an opponent a devastating counterstrike by firing off a swift rebuttal. You deal 1d6+RHE+CHA damage to the next opponent that hits you when he attacks you. Rank-2 Topoi (2 MP): Non-combat ability. The character gains (1) in a skill he does not already possess. This lasts for MNP/3 uses, rounded up. It is not necessary to understand things in order to argue about them. --Pierre Beaumarchais Multi-Lingualism (3 MP): The Philosopher peppers his speeches with phrases from other languages, adding to the mystique that he is more intelligent, and thus, more capable, than other philosophers. When used against opponents with no skill in literature, the Philosopher gains +2 to all of his to-hit rolls for 3 turns. If the opponent has

ability in literature, it is stunned for 1d6 minus (skill in literature) turns, as it tries to figure out what the phrases mean. If the Philosopher actually knows another language, he gets a +1 bonus to the use of Multi-Lingualism. Rank-3 Homage (2 MP): The Orator paraphrases a previous speech by some important person, for example Winston Churchill, to add more weight to his argument. Because the argument isn't novel, it is easier to defend against, and the Orator has to work harder for it to make sense. The Philosopher rolls Oration skill -1, and upon success gains +CHA and RHE damage along with regular damage. If the homage is particularly absurd, the philosopher rolls Oration skill -2, but if he hits, gains RHE and CHA x2 damage. Elocution(4 MP): Deliver an electrifying speech. Deals 2d6+RHE+CHA Rhetoric damage. Rank-4 Analogy (6 MP, +1 MP every subsequent turn): The Orator compares his opponent to something unrelated and seemingly dissimilar to the opponent's arguments; this creates an Analogy construct. The Analogy has the same health as the opponent, and the same skills/2, and has the unique effect, Health link. The Analogy shares health with the opponent, and whenever the opponent is damged, so is the Analogy and vice-versa. The Analogy can be attacked normally, effectively halving an opponent's defense. If the Analogy is dispelled or can not be kept alive, it is destroyed without killing the opponent.

Rank-5 Turn of Phrase (0 MP, always on, but must be bought): From so much time honing one's speaking skills, the Orator is quite witty and charming. Because of this, he has the chance of saying something truly funny and particularly harmful to the opponent. Upon hitting the opponent, the Orator has a 1d6 chance of doing an extra 3 Personal damage to the opponent, because of his sharp tongue.

Rank-6 Dangling Participle (Out of combat ability; requires at least Literature (2) 6 MP: The Orator has te ability of changing the universe around him by using dangling participles while performing an action. For example, an Orator with skill in Music, can start strumming on a guitar or something, and say, "I heard the PA system playing my song." The PA system will start transmitting his music, because the sentence has the alternate meanings of the PA system playing his song or the Orator hearing the PA system while playing his song. This can be useful in solving out-of-combat problems. Erasmus' Copia (7 MP): Summon a Foundation of Abundant Style, with HP equal to the casters MNP times 12, has no Skill of its own. MNP/6 people can stand on this (immobile) foundation, which allows everyone standing on it to share the CHA bonus of the person standing on it who has the highest CHA score. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------

Basic Physics The overarching physics of motion and energy are a useful area of study for many philosophers seeking to change the world. Incorporating thermodynamics, optics, mechanics and (at the high end) relativity, many philosophers utilize this handy skillset, particularly Rationals. Practically, classical Physics allows Philosophers to utilize their knowledge of mechanics to attempt to move solid objects much larger than themselves. These often appear to be miraculous feats of strength to the uninitiated, but are really usually just clever manifestations of leverage. Rank-1 Physical Laws (2 MP): Invoking the fundamental constituents of physics successfully allows a philosopher to create a shield to dispel 1d2 * KNO Pseudoscientific damage. One can refresh the power of this shield during their turn by paying an extra MP. Rank-3 Maxwell's Demon (5 MP): Summon a tiny demon with RCH*3 HP and Thermo-Omniscience(5). This demon can create paths through excessively hot and cold areas, and can create an Entropic Shield that halves flame and ice damage for one philosopher for one turn of combat. This Demon disappears after five turns of combat or five minutes. Rank-4 Newton’s Third Law of Motion (5MP) The user prepares their body for an attack and when the user is inflicted damage the damage (but not Skill

damage) is inflicted right back at the enemy. However the user remains immobilized until the spell is triggered, and still takes the damage. Kinematics (4 MP): Throw any object at an enemy. The implications of its motion deal 1d6+LOG+CRE damage. If it misses, still apply the 1 Skill damage unless the enemy has ranks in Mathematics. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Biology Part culmination of the other two major physical sciences (Physics and Chemistry) and part a category all its own, Biology is a Skill chosen by many Credible philosophers for its high practical usefulness and its high level of fusion with other sciences. Those with knowledge in Biology learn about medics and the makeup of life-forms of all sizes, and can roll their Skill to help with physical damages done to other living beings, from bumps and scrapes (5 DIF) to grievous amputations (25-30 DIF). However, since the mind is what matters in the Discourse universe, this may or may not actually heal a philosophers HP. Rank-1 Botany (2MP): Non-combat attack. You may use your skill in Biology to locate a useful herb to help restore drained Attributes (RHE, IMA, KNO, LOG, RCH, MNP, or CON). This is subject to a difficulty equal to the amount of plant life around, determined by the DM

(Outdoors, 5 DIF; Indoors, 15-20 DIF) Heals Attribute equal to KNO+ROS(Rank of Skill) Rank 5 Biochem: (4 MP, Biology, Rank 3 Physics) Engulf your opponent in a very large amount of very, very angry little microorganisms. Deals 3d6+LOG+RCH and penetrates metaphysical armors. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Math

Mathematics, Math or Maths for short, is the logical study of patterns in quantity, structure, shape and change. It is a major foundation of all sciences, and even comes in handy in the visual and musical arts, as it is a powerful way of simplifying some kinds of problems into logical language and then contriving very accurate solutions to them. In D&Dis, Maths is just as fundamental - thus, a talented Mathematician can buff himself and his Credible abilities. In fact, as a character gains more Skill in Math, he can quickly complete mundane tasks as he gains greater faculties in processing the underlying mental mathematics. When outside of combat, a character can try to gain one (and only one) extra attempt at any action by rolling their Math Skill against a DC based on how many MP they have - 25 for 0 MP, 5 for

full MP. This costs no MP, itself.

Rank-2 Euler's Identity: (2 MP) Invoke a paragon of mathematical elegance to boost your Charisma bonus by +1 in the eyes of Credible and Rational-style enemies. This lasts for (your RCH/2) turns, rounded up, and doesn't reduce your CRE.

Rank-4 Geometry (2 MP): Greatly bolster your accuracy with Improvised Attacks, as well as with Basic and Advanced Physics. Asserting your mastery of shape lasts only one turn, but bolsters your Skill rolls by both your KNO and RCH. Cannot be used on non-combat attacks. Synthetic Division (4MP): You divide the attack of an opponent by 1d6 and then the dividend is shot back at your opponent for massive, or not, damage.

Rank-5 Differentiate (5 MP): Dispel paralysis or slowdown effects by restoring the local continuity of space. This only affects your character, and must be cast against the source. If successful, it dispels CRE slowing or paralyzing effects, including Zeno’s Paradox. Doesn't work against Psychological effects. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Visual Arts The Visual Arts are those forms of art that focus on expression primarily through comparably quick to understand, but emotionally moving representations (or distortions) of reality using sight as

the primary sense of appeal. Sculpture, drawing, painting, even cinematography all fall under the wide umbrella of the Visual Arts. Naturally, philosophers drawn to the Visual Arts often prefer quick, devastating punches to an opponents Conviction rather than the more subtle effects provided by the other art forms, but also enjoy mastery over representing (and sometimes distorting) the physical world around them. Visual Artists can attempt to create copies of non-mechanical objects by sculpting/painting copies. The complexity and uniqueness of said object determines the DIF check, as well as whether or not there is an original available. Visual Artists also gain the ability to use art supplies as Weapon Items. Finally, by drawing a diagram to supplement an action, a Visual Artist's player gains their character an automatic DM-decided bonus (minimum +1) to whatever attribute the DM considers appropriate.

Rank-1 Pose (2 MP): By unleashing your creative talents on yourself or an ally, you gain your target a temporary +1 bonus to Image that lasts MNP+CHA hours. Visual Aid (1 MP): Requires 1 Art Supplies class item (any) to cast. This consumes the Art Supplies. The caster quickly assembles a normal-type piece of art that supports their end of the argument, in whatever form or shape they desire (examples could be banners, posters, or picket signs). This construct is considered a Visual Aid, granting +1

to CHA and CRE to the party for its duration. Only one Visual Aid's effect may be active at a time. Duration - 2d6 turns. If outside of combat, 3d6 minutes.

Rank-2 Caricature (3 MP): Ruthlessly satirize your enemy and his beliefs. Deals 1d6+RHE+CHA and deals 1 extra Skill damage to your opponents' Class Skill. Interpretation (1 MP): Requires 1 Art Supplies class item (any) to cast. This consumes the Art Supplies. Over the course of two turns, you create a normal-type piece of art that is so moving,it renders those that view it utterly speechless, decreasing enemy CHA by 1. While it is still active, enemy Oration skills may not be used. While this skill is being prepared, the character using it may not move or make use of any other skills. This skill does not stack. Duration - 2d6 turns. If outside of combat, 3d6 minutes. Rank-3 Subjectify Space (5 MP): Non-combat attack. Channeling M.C. Escher, you may "attack" an ally with your Visual Arts skill - your ally must defend. If you succeed, your ally gains the ability to walk on walls and ceilings for MNP+CHA minutes, or until he is hit with another attack. Sculpted Image (3 MP): Requires 1 Art Supplies class item (Sculpture) and 1 Art Tools class item (Chisel) to cast. This consumes the Sculpture item, but not the Chisel. Over the course of two turns, you create a sculpture-type piece of art that boosts CON and CRE by 2 on all defensive rolls. All enemy skill usages are at +1 difficulty. While this skill is being prepared, the character using it

may not move or make use of any other skills. This skill does not stack. Duration - 2d6+1d2 turns. If outside of combat, 3d6 minutes. Impression (3 MP) - Requires 1 Art Supplies class item (Painting) and 1 Art Tools class item (Brush) to cast. Over the course of two turns, you create an impressionistic painting-type piece of art that distorts reality. Choose two of the following effects- Enemy CHA -1 Enemy CRE -1 Enemy CON -1 Allied CHA +1 Allied CRE +1 Allied CON +1 Allied HP +5 Allied MP +5 Enemy Movement -1 Allied Movement +1 These effect remain for this skill's duration, and may only be stacked by other artists' creations. While this skill is being prepared, the character using it may not move or make use of any other skills. Duration - 2d6+1d2 turns. If outside of combat, 3d6 minutes. Rank-4 Self-Portrait (6MP, 10HP) Takes a part of the caster’s life and fuses it into a clay doll. The clay doll can sustain 10 damage before it dies. The clay doll will act as a decoy that the user can hide behind to prevent damage. Animation(7 MP): Requires 1 Art Supplies class item (Supernatural) and 1 Art Tools class item (Supernatural) to cast. The Supplies are consumed. Effect - This skill can be used at the

creation of a piece of art. Depending on the type of art, this spell has different effects. Normal-Type - Casts Regeneration on the party, which heals each member by 2d6 HP each turn. Duration - 2d6+1d2 turns. Sculpture-Type - Creates life in the object, giving it the following- 3d6 HP CHA = Caster Level CRE = Caster Level CON = Caster Level + 2 This creature is controlled by the one who Animated it. It remains Animated until it is destroyed. Sketch-Type - Creates a duplicate of the piece that produces a duplicate effect on each enemy. For example, if the original sketch would deal 5 Supernatural and 3 Psychological damage to one target, this spell is duplicated and cast on every other enemy. Painting-Type - Add two of the following effects- Enemy CHA -5 Enemy CRE -5 Enemy CON -5 Allied CHA +5 Allied CRE +5 Allied CON +5 Allied HP +20 Allied MP +20 Enemy Movement -2 Allied Movement +2 Skill Duration + 2d6 This skill causes the value of the resulting piece of art to be increased by 2d6+1d2 (insert currency here) if sold. Note: All pieces of art remain after their

effects have worn off, they just no longer grant their skill's effects. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Linguistics Linguistics is the scientific study of language, including its rules, its theory, and anything else that can be attributed to it. Linguist philosophers have at their disposal a wide array of tools with which they can decode and play with language, often to the confusion of their foes. However, few damage-dealing atttacks can be found in Linguistics, since most Linguistic philosophers are most interested in studying it rather than trying to form some "ideal" language. Linguists can roll their skill to decode foreign languages, spoken or written. The DIF check depends on how close the language is to the native language of the philosopher (For example, for an English speaker, French would be low, German perhaps a 10, Russian high, and Mandarin even higher) Rank-1 Phonetics (1 MP): Non-combat attack. The Linguist cobbles together a message readable only by other Linguists in the International Phonetic Alphabet. Rank-2 Prescriptive Grammar (2 MP): Usable only by Absolutes. Deals 1d6+LOG+CRE damage. If the target is an Absolute, can only be countered by Linguistics, Literature or Oration.

Rank-3 Grimm Shift (2 MP): By following Grimm's law, a linguist can temporary scramble all speech in a 20 ft radius by running the language through 300 years of Grimm shift. Only other linguists can understand the language, and must treat it like a foreign language. Sound Shift(3 MP): The linguist can cause cognitive dissonance and damage by causing a sound shift in their own speech, confusing any listener. It causes 1d6+MNP+CHA Dissonance damage. Garden Path (4 MP): Entangle your opponent in a snare of deceptive language for up to RCH turns. Each turn, the opponent must make a Logic, Literature, or Linguistics check in order to break free. Until free, the opponent cannot attack or heal their allies (but can defend) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a

banana. --Groucho Marx ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Advanced Physics (Requires Math 4,

Basic Physics 6) Advanced Physics is the study of the realm of physics systems invented in the last century or so, from Einstein's General Relativity through to quantum mechanics, supersymmetry, string theory, M-Theory, and all the rest. Truly hardcore Credibles love this stuff for its many practical uses, although it's not much of a skillset for dishing out damage to one's enemies. Advanced Physics can be used to

instantly dispel Dualism damage used against the philosopher possessing it for no MP cost. The Physicist rolls their Advanced Physics against a DIF check set by the amount of Dualism damage being dealt, and if their roll is greater, the philosopher takes no damage. Rank-1 Messenger Particle Whip (7 MP): An Advanced Physicist may form a whip of messenger particles such as photons and gravitons into a handy weapon, power 6, of unified energy that deals Monism damage for RCH turns. Rank-2 Quantum Uncertainty: 2 MP to begin the effect and 1 MP for each round that the effect is maintained. The Philosopher enters a state of quantum uncertainty, making him impossible to precisely locate. While this is in effect, the Philosopher is immune to all targeted non-attack skills. Targeted attack skills can be used, but are assumed to be wild swings. They always hit and have their damage multiplied by (Philosopher's volume/volume of the room*). Skills with an area of effect deal full damage to the Philosopher and always hit. While this skill is in effect, the Philosopher cannot perform any action which would enable his location to be precisely determined. When this skill ends, the Philosopher may appear at any location in the room

which he could reach through normal movement. *If the Philosopher is outdoors, or the room is very large, the volume of the room is assumed to be ((Philosopher's level in Advanced Physics, squared)*3 meters*pi) cubic meters. If the room has no roof, the roof is assumed to be 3 meters high for the purpose of volume calculations. **Examples of normal movement: walking, running, climbing, jumping. Opening doors or operating machinery is not allowed while your location is Uncertain, as such actions would establish your location. Rank-4 Rift Seal (5MP): Non-combat. In string theory, closed ended strings seal up rips in the space time continuum by going around them. A string theorist may take advantage of this to prevent an enemy from escaping via teleportation by sealing the rip in spacetime. Wormhole (10mp) Non-combat. Utilize the Casimir effect to open a traversible Wormhole to any other location of your choosing. You need an object of sufficient density to do this. You may close the Wormhole from either side by removing the same object you used. Be careful, though, as others with Advanced Physics may also remove the Object. No difficulty check is necessary. Rank-6 Grand Unification (ALL MP): By

tapping the power of the Holy Grail of advanced physics, the Theory of Everything, you will temporarily be able to completely rewrite matter, energy, and space in your immediate area, and can turn back or accelerate forward in time for RCH turns or actions. Relatively small timejumps (a few minutes) or matter-energy transmutations (up to about 20 meters around) require no DIF check, but larger manifestations may be subject to one determined by the DM. Multiple Worlds Theory (15mp for one alternate self): Open a dimensional tear and summon up to three alternate selves (each extra costs 5 more MP). Each has a different set of skills and classes (though they can overlap in places) and are the same level as you. Prepare a list beforehand of their skills and spells, their attributes are the same, and their HP/MP is half yours (not being in their home world weakens them). They are summoned for 30 min, but you can expend an extra 2 MP to extend the effect. Finally, you must make a check. Roll a d6 for each person you summon, and for each 1 you roll, that is an evil twin who will attack you. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Computer Science Elite Skill - Requires Math (3) and

Logic (4) Computer science, or computing science, is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their implementation and application in computer systems. A popular and more modern Skill, it has taken off ever since the Information Age

began in Utopia and the Global Village, and shows few signs of losing its forward momentum. While not a particularly offensive skilset by nature, those skilled on Computer Science (Comp Sci for short) become able engineers, technically proficient with computers and computing systems. Naturally, philosophers with Comp Sci are proficient in utilizing computers, and can try to "hack" computers and computer systems by messing with their hardware and software. They can also craft viruses(DIF depends on the complexity) and repair computer based equipment (such as Narrow AI's, a popular Transhumanist Weapon) with their Skill. Rank 1 Scripting (2 MP) - To use this ability, the philosopher must have some type of computer in his or her possession. The philosopher uses a scripting language to automate otherwise difficult tasks. Choose any one ability that you possess; for the remainder of the battle (or day, if out of combat), the ability becomes a Scripted Ability and its MP cost is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 1) A philosopher may not have more than one Scripted Ability at a time. "i=0

while i<20:

print 'Hello World!'

print i

i = i+1" Cryptography (1 MP) - To use this ability, the philosopher must have some type of computer in his or her possession. The philosopher uses a computer to

analyze a code or encrypted message. Roll your Computer Science, then add your rank in Math and your rank in Logic to the result of your roll. If the result is greater than the target's Encryption Strength, the code or message is successfully decrypted. This ability may also be used to encrypt messages. Roll your Computer Science, then add your rank in Math and your rank in Logic to the result of your roll. The result is the Encryption Strength of the encrypted message. (Example - you roll 1d6+Math(3)+Logic(4) for a result of 10. Your message becomes encrypted with an Encryption Strength of 10.) "Guvf vf na rapelcgrq fragrapr" Rank 2 Technomancy (2 MP) The philosopher believes in technology so fervently they can get devices to prefer feats their designers never though possible. They get +5 to any checks to see if the device performs an action, and any technological weapon they use receives +2 to weapon power in damage calculations. Fades when the user falls asleep. Network (4 MP) - This is a non-combat ability. Using this skill, a philosopher may search any kind of computerized network or database for answers to a question. Specify your question, then roll your Computer Science against a DC specified by the DM (between 5 and 35). If you already have the ability "A Priori", you may choose beforehand to spend an additional 2 MP and add 5 to the result of your roll. Rank 3 Kludge (3 MP)

Using this skill, the philosopher may attempt to improve a weapon using parts from a technological item. Roll your Computer Science against a DC of (3*target's Weapon Power). If you win the roll, the weapon's power is increased by 1 and the item you used is destroyed. If you fail the roll, the weapon's power is reduced by 1 and the item you used is destroyed. In addition, if the weapon had any special properties, roll 1d6. On a roll of 1, remove one special property from the weapon. If the roll results in a tie, nothing happens. A weapon may only be upgraded once by Kludge. Note: For the purposes of this skill, everyday items are considered to have a weapon power of 0 (no benefit). Using this skill on an everyday item will always produce a weapon with no special properties and weapon power 1. Turn Robots (3 MP) Using this skill, the philosopher may attempt to reprogram a non-sentient robot or computer. Attack the robot or computer with your Computer Science skill. If your attack succeeds, the robot or computer becomes friendly to you and ceases to attack (if it is attacking). In addition, if you win by more than 6 points of difference (for example, if your roll is 18 and the robot's roll is 10) you gain control of the robot or computer for 2 hours or until the end of the battle, whichever is shorter.

Rank 6 Automation (5 MP) - To use this ability, the philosopher must have some type of computer in his or her possession. - To use this ability, the philosopher must be in combat. The philosopher uses his mastery of Computer Science to automate a specific task. Choose any action*. In each subsequent round, the philosopher may perform this action as a free action once per round. (Note that he or she must still pay any MP costs associated with the action.) All Skill rolls made as part of an Automated action are made with one fewer die (for example, if you would normally roll 4d6, roll 3d6. If you have (1) in the skill, tough luck - you roll 0d6). If you choose to Automate an Improvised Attack, you must always use the same skill to make the IA (for example, if you automate a Math IA then you must use Math for all subsequent automated IAs.) If the battle ends or the philosopher is knocked out, the effects of Automation fade. A philosopher may only have one Automated action at a time; however, philosophers are allowed to Automate a Scripted Ability. *Actions include, but are not limited to, the following: - Abilities - Improvised attacks - Item use

QualeQualeQualeQuale

Huge: These grand philosophers quite literally stand a head (or two!) above their compatriots. As a result, they can certainly reach the aforementioned cookie jar, but tend to bump their heads more often, as well. Thanks to their comparatively long legs, they can dash at greater speeds in open areas; as well, they can handily lift their fellow (medium and small sized) philosophers to ledges and such they might not have been able to reach otherwise. However, they also suffer a movement impediment when moving through tight spaces. Hypocrite: Your character has a tendency to say one thing, and do another - particularly under pressure, or when there is an easy way out. Because of this trickster nature, he is not usually well-regarded by his peers, and has -2 CHA and CRE. Every time he goes back on his word in a way that affects the story, his party, NPCs or the landscape of D&Dis, he gains 1 Treatise. Tiny: The bearer of this Qualia is of a particularly dimunitive stature in comparison to your regular Philosopher. Thus, he can fit into small spaces that other Philosophers cannot, but may have difficulty reaching the cookie jar. He also suffers from tiny legs, and as such has difficulty keeping up with his larger cohorts in an unassisted run. To counter this, many Tiny Philosophers hitch rides on friendly shoulders or trained beasts, but in order to fight they need both hands and thus must fight from the ground.

Buxom: These comely philosophers are physically well-endowed in the specific areas of their respective sexes. With +4 CHA, they engender immediate attraction from those around them, and rarely have to reach for the cookie jar themselves. Their attractiveness comes with a price, however, as those attracted often pay more attention to the buxom philosopher's appearance than to what he or she is talking about, manifested as -4 to CRE. Every time the buxom philosopher convinces a member of the party to do something for him or her, one Treatise is awarded. Belligerent: Belligerent people are those annoying jackasses that love to start a fight. They're convinced they're always right, will assert themselves every chance they get, and will often take from the cookie jar without asking. Their tough attitude will gain them 1 CON, but lower CRE and CHA by one.

Bumbling: Genius-level philosophers with the ability to come up with the next great philosophies and ideals. That is, if they could remember what was going on. Because of the number of weighty thoughts flying around in their minds, these philosophers are rather detached from the corporeal world, and have trouble remembering what they were doing at the cookie jar in the first place. These geniuses are well liked all around though, and because of their great minds, they get +3 to both CRE and CHA, but they have to roll every round to keep focused on the topic at hand. These philosophers are completely useless if they don't have someone to help keep on task.

Selfless: These philosophers are devoted to helping others, giving leg-ups to those trying to reach the cookie jar, sometimes at the expense of their own fulfilment and aims. A Selfless philosopher has +2 CHA, to reflect the high regard they engender from other

people, but cannot refuse any reasonable request made by anyone, whether NPC, PC, Apple Macintosh, or whatever. At the DM's discretion (so that team-mates can't just keep ordering their philanthropist around to level him or her up quickly), every time a Philanthropist goes out of his or her way to perform some entirely superfluous act, or lengthy side-quest, s/he gains an extra Treatise. Evangelical: This Religous character claims affiliation with Christianity, and actively seeks to promote and convert others to their religon. This would normally be standard stuff for philosopher, but in specifically labelling himself Evangelical a character gains greater influence and sway in devout Christian circles, usually manifesting itself as a -5 to DIF checks on persuasion when interacting with other Evangelicals, a powerful alliance in some parts of the D&Dis universe. (A character must be Religious and Christian to claim this Quale) Rational: Rational is a tag not taken lightly in the D&Dis universe; besides signifying a philosopher who seeks to use human reason, and human reason alone to unlock the secrets of the universe, the so-called Rational Empire is one of the most powerful movements in the Discourse universe. When interacting with other Rationals, the Rational gains a -5 to checks on persuasion. (A character must be Agnostic or Atheistic to claim this Quale) Imperialist: Imperialists are those who not only seek to expand and proliferate their philosophy, they are those who seek to eradicate all other philosophies before them and quite literally build over their remains. They particularly enjoy seeing the fruits of their work take shape in physical, lasting things such as buildings, cities and railroad lines, although cultural imperialism is a hot new trend these days as well. While Imperialists are one of the leading causes of cultural marginalization in Discourse, it is also (sometimes grudgingly) admitted that they are also the cause of much progress. Whenever an Imperialist manages to gain control of a town, they gain 1 extra Treatise. (Imperialists must be Absolute.) Anarchist: Anarchists despise the idea of government and ruling bodies. They firmly believe that the natural laws are the only laws we need live by, and while they may be amenable to the idea of small-scale cooperation and teamwork, they tend to chafe towards the ideas of leadership and absolution. Thus, whenever an Anarchist completes a quest all on his own, he gains one extra Treatise. (Anarchists must be Chaotic.) Neutral: The Neutrals are sometimes referred to as the "Third Faction" of Discourse (The Rationals and the Religious Alliance being tied for first.) That being said, the Neutrals share no formal system of coordination or communication, merely a common sort of charisma and mysteriousness. The only reason they are even really identified as a faction at all is because the population of the Global Village, one of the three largest hubs of activity in Discourse, is largely populated by Neutrals of various kinds. Neutral characters gain a +10 bonus to MP when their CRE and CHA modifiers are both 0, but cannot be Absolute.

Trivia Buff: Someone who is generally more handy in Jeopardy matches then real life. The Trivia Buff's arsenal of knowledge is steeped in the trivial and the obscure, and they'd prefer mentioning the origin of cookie jars to actually eating a cookie. Though they will occasionally have the perfect piece of information in a given situation, they will just as often have nothing to contribute, marked by their -2 CRE. Every round, they roll to determine their KNO modifier, ranging from -6 to +6. If they happen to be the only ones with a solution to a given problem, they will temporarily have +2 CRE instead. Naturally (un)Lucky: This person lives on the natural extremes of luck, usually, a cookie jar will spontaneously drop out the sky into their hands, but then the cookie jar crate on a parachute's bottom will break all the way open and they will be buried as they finish the first cookie. A person who is naturally (un)lucky may have something awsome happen to them, or unawsome happen to another person... but sometime in the near future something really ironic and funny will happen, not negating the effect of the first action... but possibly wishing it hadn't happened due to circumstances... like the reason you got the cookie jar was just because the crate's bottom was breaking. Subservient: You naturally want others to order you about, and you must roll your Class Skill every time someone gives you an order (hard, easier depending on whether its against your personal morals/ideals) or request (medium, easier depending on whether its against your personal morals/ideals). People find you unobtrusive as such, so you gain +2 CHA. Gain 1 treatise every time you resist somebody’s direct command (not request)

Open-Minded: Open-minded characters are more willing to accept the ideas of others, and give them due consideration even if those ideas seem absolutely silly to him. He tends to be one who attempts to find bridges between science and religion, and assumes that there's always a chance that someone is right. Even when he disagrees completely with your choice of oatmeal cookies over sugar cookies, he'll still respect it. Open-minded characters are respected by their peers and thus gain a +1 CHA bonus, but their foes can call them wishy-washy and flip-floppers, so they end up with -1 CRE. Close-Minded: Closed-minded characters are the exact opposite of open-minded characters (duh). They will only accept their belief and do their best to ignore any idea or fact that contradicts it. They are damn certain that only chocolate chip cookies are worth the time and will look at you funny if you even try to eat peanut butter ones. Their dickishness costs them -1 CHA, but they are more focused in their subject, giving them +1 CRE. Whiner: The whiner suposedly has no good uses; He's a pain to be around, which gives him -3 CHA. BUT, the Whiner feels very strongly about his choice topic, giving him +5 CON. The Whiner also has one very odd ability; at the beginning of fights, all NPCs will target him, just to stop his annoyances. This is very useful for his allies, because they can sneak over to get the cookie jar, while he causes his annoying diversion. Strange-Minded: This person is the kind of person who might have good ideas, but no one can tell because she is only ever talking about crumple-horned snorkacks and

blubbering humdingers. This is the kind of person who believes unlikely things without any reason to, and often frustrates people who try to convince her otherwise. The character suffers a -1 penalty to CHA and CRE, but receives a +2 bonus to CON. Athletic: An athletic philosopher has spent years running to make himself more fit, and because of it, he disdains vehicles like cars that take the effort out of travel, and he moves more slowly, making it so he never attacks 1st in a fight; But because the philosopher is more fit than others, he doesn't tire as easily, and can strike again when everyone is winded. Every 5th turn, the philosopher gets an extra attack while everyone is catching their breath. Vehicle Junkie- A person infatuated with driving fast; the philosopher spends so much time behind the wheel, he knows the secrets of moving quickly. Because of this, the philosopher always attacks first. But the philosopher also never really got around to working out, because he was too busy driving. The philosopher is so out of shape, every 5th turn, he has to stop and take a breath. Possessed: Probably not a good quale for a PC, a possessed NPC indicates a character who is so charismatic as to be transformed into an avatar of their religion of choice. Examples include Christians who shine with blinding light and can call down lightning, Hindu characters who can sprout many arms and attack characters in a dance of death, and Polytheists who show a disturbing control of nature. They have little will of their own, and are likely to ignore the cookie jar, unless they transfigure the cookies into flesh and nearby milk into blood. Possessed characters are relatively rare and are not often seen in contested territory- however it is truly terrifying when they are. Among their most feared attributes are a seeming invulnerability to being shown logical errors in their own thinking- a stumbling block for most charismatic characters. Pedantic: Not really any better for a PC, a pedantic NPC is so involved in their chosen field of credibility that they are unable to truly experience a change in world view. While they display impressive knowledge of the minutiae of their field, and boast some truly terrifying powers, they are really uninterested in any quest the characters would be involved in, unless that quest is converting all data and experiences so they match the theory of the pedant. They have taken the cookie jar, and are attempting to show the world that only their field of expertise explains why it is full of cookies. They are relatively rare, and not often seen in contested areas, but when they are it is terrifying for most charismatic characters.

Robot: This character is a Robot, a machine created by humans to emulate humans. Robots are slightly more skilled at logic and other Credible pursuits than normal humans due to their quicker neural nets, but current versions tend to lack Charisma due to the problem of the uncanny valley. Thus, they gain CRE+1 and CHA -1.

Architect: You have an uncannily bright view of the future. Your conviction is enviable, but your peers see you as a dreamer, and are less likely to take your ideas seriously. You see the cookie jar as a wealth of new opportunity and a new stepping stone in the age of mankind, but those who have already tasted the cookies know that your dreams are only doomed to defeat, as the cookies are mediochre at best, and hardly deserve such praise. You get +1 CHA and +1 CON while attacking because your talk of a bright, new future is often inspiring. However, whenever defending, you get -2 CRE due to your unbelievability. Whenever an opponent is drawn into believing wholeheartedly in your worldview, gain one treatise. Curmudgeon: Your view of the future is dark and fatalistic. People often avoid you because of your inherently bleak view of life, but you are admired for your down-to-earthness. You often ignore the cookie jar altogether, after all, what can it bring but disappointment and despair? The cookies are overrated, and you're perfectly content convincing others that the reach isn't worth the effort. You get +2 CRE while attacking because your views are simply too grounded to be questioned. However, because you have a lack of conviction and, frankly, you're unpleasant to be around, you get -1 CON and -1 CHA whenever defending. Whenever an opponent is wholly convinced of the hopelessness of their cause, gain one treatise. Lazy: It's hard enough for you to get out of bed in the morning, much less actually do something when you get there. You're less concerned about the cookie jar than perhaps anyone else, and would rather have someone else bring you the cookies and feed them to you while you lie prone on the kitchen floor. Because you care little for anything, all actions performed by and against you get -2. Sadistic: You are the unwavering hand of doom that all fear secretly in the dark nighttime of their hearts, each waiting until sure, unyielding demise should fall upon them like so many broken hopes and dreams. You have little interest in helping those you seek to destroy, which is everyone. In fact, more often than not, the HERO quale is hearing about your misdeeds when the quaking, frightened villager calls desperately for aid. You'd love to get your hands on that cookie jar, if only to smash it against the ground and crush the feeble cookies beneath your feet, so that none shall ever be able to partake in their chocolatey goodness. At any - and I do mean ANY - opportunity to inflict undue harm to another, make a roll against your conviction where the DC is decided by the DM. Should you fail that roll, you will inflict whatever harm you can until you can no longer. Gain a treatise every time you utterly shatter someone's hopes and dreams, grinding them into dust beneath your iron heel. Long-Winded: There's a time and a place for didactic lecturing. You have a talent for not heeding these moments. Instead of going for the cookie jar, you're often possessed of the urge to marvel aloud at its majestic beauty, historical significance, banal trivia, other

associated facts, and whatever else you might tell it before it slowly takes a dive from the top shelf, shattering itself in order to silence your droll monotone. Whenever attacking or blocking, you get -2 CHA and +2 CRE, by drawing out fact after fact until the truth is undeniable, but damn annoying. Your facts will continue drifting out, slowly, steadily, like icebergs adrift in the arctic.

IIIItemstemstemstems

Below are some ideas for Weapon Items, as well as a few accessory and potion-type items. However, please note that this is not an exclusive list; in particular, the weapons a single philosopher uses are often highly tailored to the philosopher. Almost anything can be a weapon in Discourse, in fact, so long as it can be effectively used to prove a point. Not just anything can be a powerful weapon, however. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amulet of H-bar: This amulet, shaped like the H-bar from the Dirac Constant, is worn around the neck by a piece of string. When activated, the amulet causes one of two effects: Either the wearer becomes superpositioned, with effects identical to Quantum Uncertainty (see Advanced Physics), or the amulet imparts momentum to the wearer, catapulting them at high speed.

Axiomatic Lever (Power 4): A lever of unlimited length. Find an immovable point and you can move the very world... other than that, just hit your enemies upside the head no matter where they are. Can Shrink to the size of a quaterstave, or grow to infinite length (really handy for reaching the cookie jar). A warning: it's weight grows with it's size, on both mind and body... seriously, have you ever looked at an infinitely lengthy object? It's mind bending. Electric Guitar (Power 2): This musical instrument is new to Discourse, but it's effects are being felt far and wide. On its own, the Electric Ax CAN be played as an ordinary guitar, rank two, but when plugged into an amplifier, it increases its range vastly, and Power increases by 2, as well as allowing the player to use one Musical ability free. What that ability is is specified when the Ax is obtained. Stories also abound of Electric Axes being used for summoning portals, where an unsuspecting victim is hit over the head with the ax, dislodging a cookie jar, although such stories are unbacked as of now. Elegant Happy Human Staff: (Power 3): A staff topped by an icon of the Happy Human. Powered up by a simple staff wrapping that subtly shines all colors of the rainbow, this rare version of a Happy Human staff allows Primal Integration to be cast free twice a day. Humanists only. Famous Work of Philosophy (personal)(Power 6): (Note: This is a highly unique item, and it must be self-produced in a scenario.) This is your own work, written and published... IN HARDBACK! It could be on anything, from whether god exists, to why cookie jars are an essential part of the universe. The point is, you got it published and everyone bought it. Take +10 to all attributes out of confidence, once humanoid enemies see you got your work published, and they never did, they'll take -5 to all attributes from shame and awe. It should be noted that in the Discourse universe, by becoming a real

star, you may immediately be assaulted by tons of fan girls/boys unless you disguise yourself. This effect persists even if the book is not equipped as your weapon item. Felicific Abacus (Power 3): A tricky, gyroscope-like device that speeds the user's ability to perform complex Utilitarian calculations. Utilitarians only. Allows Felicific Calculus once per day. Holy Icon: This special item will give you +2 CHA around people who follow the religion particular to that item, as long as they can see it (this also affects your spells if you are apart of the appropriate religion). These people will often fetch you the cookie jar, but it has no effects on people who are neutral to that particular religion. You also gain -2 CHA to people who are hostile to that particular religion, as they are more likely to steal the cookie jar from you than give it to you. Kantian Blades (Power 3): The embodiment of the cornerstones of Kant's particular, no-nonsense brand of philosophical logic, A Priori and A Posteriori are each usable in different situations. A Priori may counter an enemy Improvised Attack once per day, and A Posteriori powers up your Science Abilities by +1 damage three times a day. Knight of Faith's Gauntlet (Power 3): Charged with the power of their former wearer, these allow an Existentialist to tap the boundless reserves of energy of a true Knight, regenerating 3 HP after any battle sequence. Occam's Razor (Power 30): This looks like a normal old fashioned switch blade shaving razor, but once the user realizes it is the ultimate weapon of Credibility he can change its size at will. This blade is the ultimate defense against charisma based arguments, as they are not “simple”. In fact, anything that is not simple can be cut down into simple parts. This means the blade is so sharp it can cut anything right down to its component atoms. Immediately destroys anything non-Credible, but can be deflected by paragons of scientific elegance, such as atoms and people protected by things like Euler's Identity. However, Occam's Razor can be wielded as a main gauche- not a primary weapon, but a parrying defense. The problem is, if someone manages to hit you with a Credible attack that points out an inconsistency in your own position, the blade immediately closes on your fingers and inevitably slips free of your maimed hand. Adding insult to injury, it can't be picked up again by the same wielder until the former flaw has been dealt with, generally by switching classes somehow. Occam’s Razor tends to only appear to those in need of its power, and has a reputation for disappearing from history shortly after. Some folk argue this is because only appearing when it is needed keeps its own story as simple as possible, thus ensuring it can never cut itself to pieces.

Scientific Apparatus: Power 3 Weapon Item. This utility backpack is full of useful items for demonstrating the wonders of science to your opponents, and also includes a Class IV laser, just in case. Gains +1 Power in the hands of Positivists Synthetic Absolute Truth: Clearly crafted by an amateur, this balm is more of a painkiller than anything. Still, this restores your HP by 10 points and fully restores one of your Skill categories, so it's good in a pinch. The Pen (Power 6): When invoked, any attempts at Syncretism will fail, as all philosophical arguments will be concretely written down and attributed to each person. In addition, deflects any attacks by a sword. There is only one “The Pen” in existence – all others are considered copies. The Sickness Unto Death (single-use) This vial amounts to a biological grenade. When thrown at the appropriate target, it causes them become consumed with a burning desire for the self to die; a desire which cannot be granted, for the victim also becomes weak. They are effectively paralyzed both physically with weakness, and mentally with despair, so long as it hits. Lasts number of turns equal to a roll of 1d6. The Poppies of the People: Fragrant and calming, these flowers restore 5 MP per bundle when sniffed, then dry and wilt. One can distill from them the Opiate of the People, a more powerful potion. Thinking Cap: This cap is really strange looking, but it gives you +5 to either KNO or RCH, decided by the GM once one is found... but it gives you a -5 to CHA because it makes you look like a complete twit. An absolute essential when trying to pick the lock on a cookie jar. Also comes in a variant with shoes. Viola's Mask: This ordinary blank opera mask will, when worn and activated by a pass-phrase, cause the wearer to take on the appearance of the opposite gender. The effect is almost perfect, even immune to a sphere of naturalism, although if the mask is worn for too long, the character will gradually forget that they were ever anything other than their current gender. Wundt's Metronome: Power 2 weapon item. This handy little device is travel-ready, and helps add oomph to the attacks of anyone who has to introduce psychology and music on a regular basis. This weapon item gains +1 to its Power when used in conjunction with any Psychological-type Improvised Attack; it also grants +1 damage to all Music attacks. . Zarathustra's Staff (Power 6): The legendary staff given to Zarathustra by the disciples he taught at the town of The Pied Cow, this is an otherwise unassuming wood staff

topped with a solid gold head depicting a serpent coiling around a sun. It is said to have many powers, not the least of which is the ability to magnify a Nihilist's Will to Power Ability into a literal ability to exercise near-omnipotent power in their immediate vicinity, as well the causing the user to self-overcome and temporarily transform into an Übermensch. Usable only by Nihilists. Power is it, this new virtue; a ruling thought is it, and around a subtle soul: a golden sun,

with the serpent of knowledge around it. - Thus Spake Zarathustra, by Nietzsche. Part 1, Ch. 22, The Bestowing Virtue. Zarathustra's Staff (Replica) (Power 3): Although this is not the original staff, it still remains a powerful symbol of Nihilism. Usable only by Nihilists. Zen Motorcycle: This motorcycle, which appears to run on internal monologue, raises the LOG and RHE stats of the rider by 1 when the rider considers 'Quality'. It also goes pretty dang fast, and is easy enough to drive, although it requires the rider to be a competent mechanic, otherwise it will not run.

Monsters Brain Mold (0+) (Any Skill) 1 CON Basically the slime or Waddle Dee of the philosophy world. They look like a bunch of Jello that congealed inside a brain-shaped mold. They come in all sorts of flavors. Occasionally they attack in packs, but even then they're mostly fodder for even the most incompetent philosopher. Demented Nihilist Skills: Nihilism (6) CON: 3+ Add one point for every century the Demented Nihilist has roamed the earth. A Nihilist who got too deep into his belief, the Demented Nihilist has denied his own existence so long that his soul has shrank and seemingly disappeared, leaving only a moving husk with the sole desire to truly create nothing. A fog follows it wherever it goes, eating away at anything that exists. The fog does not disperse once a DN has left the area. It only disappears after the DN responsible has been slain. DN's are not very adventurous, and often stay in caves alone where the fog can gather and give the illusion of nonexistence. A Demented Nihilist looks different depending on the different stages of its life. An early DN will look much like a zombie, shuffling around. As the DN goes unbothered, its skin turns black and starts to fall off. Nails grow into claws, teeth into fangs. Eventually a DN will turn into a rotting skeleton, and if still alive after that will transform into a strange shadow that has lost human shape. Demented Nihilists do not attack anything unless provoked. However, if adventurers encounter one, they will find themselves shorter of breath and weaker in spirit, due to the power of the fog. Thus it is in their best interest to either kill it or run away. If a DN is attacked, however, it will defend itself with maximum ferocity. (It is not known why they defend themselves in this way, when they seem to have a desire to remove all existence. Why does that not include themselves?)

Attempts to reverse the process have ended in death for the person or persons who attempt it. Cloud of Nonexistence: Can be used once per fight by a Demented Nihilist. The DN's fog wraps around the target, causing CON (the DN's con, not the target's) damage for three turns. The target is also blinded for three turns and cannot participate until the turns or up or is cured by a party member. Dire Post-Modernist (5+) Post-Modernism CON: 10+ Dire Post-Modernists live near coffee houses, sometimes. Never stick a Dire Post-Modernist in the teeth, as his skeleton bones like your flesh. Dire Post-Modernists have no brains. When you see a Dire Post-Modernist, be sure to flip a coin for good luck. Can a Dire Post-Modernist even think? About bananas, perhaps. A Dire Post-Modernist wrote this, maybe.

--found scrawled inside an old abandoned

coffeehouse Arrow of Deconstruction: The Dire Po-Mo fires an arrow that doesn't necessarily need to hit. Even if it misses normally, it still deals Skill damage. However, if it is deflected or negated by an Ability effect, this does not occur.

Causal Immunity: Dire Postmodernists cannot take any sort of damage by attacks that deal Causal damage. Jungian Shadow Psychoanalysis (3+) Attached Class Skill (same as that attached) CON 5+ Discovered by the famous Carl Jung, these shadows attack by attaching themselves to a philosopher, copying their physical form and embodying their dark, hidden emotions. Worse, should a fellow philosopher attempt to help, they

may find themselves fighting shadows of their own! Embodiment: The Shadow must attach itself to a philosopher before attacking. Attachment cannot be defended against, but the Shadow may only attack that to whom it is attached. Collective Unconscious: When attacked by another philosopher, a new Shadow splits off and attaches to the philosopher who attacked with half the remaining HP and the same remaining Skill of the first Shadow. This halves the HP of the first Shadow. Last Man Skills: Nihilism (3) CON: 2+ The Last Man is the zombie of the DnDis universe; individually, they are very weak, but they always come in large swarms. No one quite knows, what causes a Last Man, but they know what happens; towns will suddenly blink out of existence, every single one of the townspeople becoming a Last Man instantly. Total Apathy: A Last Man is so uncaring, that he feels no pain, and doesn't acknowledge damage. Because of this, no status change affects the Last Man. Limitless Boredom: The Last Man hits the philosopher with an idea so boring that it stuns him. The character battles this ennui for 5 turns, effectively frozen during that time. If the character is killed or defeated while he's frozen, he comes back as a NPC Last Man, with all the stats and abilities of a normal Last Man. The presence of an Overman nullifies this ability.

Machine Ghost

Dualism (4+) CON 3+ These troublesome poltergeists seem to like residing inside of large, complicated bits of machinery, waiting for unsuspecting philosophers to arouse their ire. However, they also seem to arise sometimes in Robots who become Religious, for reasons that have yet to be discerned.

Shellbound: The Ghost cannot move outside the machinery it inhabits. Also, if the machinery becomes unpowered, the Ghost vanishes. Mysterian Mysterianism(3+) Ego Theory(2) CON: 3+ Shadowy creatures, Mysterians are the remnants of an ancient cult that long ago convinced themselves that they are composed of an eternal part they will never understand. Many Mysterians fled into the recesses of Discourse at the advent of neuroscience, and have lately been resurging, but not quite as they were before... Mysterious Flame: Mysterians emit an aura that makes it impossible to determine the statistics of a Mysterian by direct observation, including the strength of their Skill rolls, which are made secretly by the DM. Cognitive Closure: If this hits, the Mysterian causes damage equal to an I.A. If the target is Absolute or has a CRE of +6 or over, their Abilities are disabled for 1d3 turns. Neo-Luddite CON: 6-12 Skills: Luddism(5) Ethics (2) Neo-Luddites are highly opposed to technological progress. Thus, they have become highly specialized in stamping out this menace. As they have become monsters, they have become increasingly at one with nature, taking the appearance of trees and rocks. They will exclusively target Positivists if they are present, and will also choose as a priority anyone who uses Advanced Physics, Computer Science or other highly technological skills in their presence. Dystopian Vision: Vengeful Neo-Luddites are very adept at tracking technology. When this power is activated, they can follow the trail of any technologically advanced piece of equipment like wolves follow scents, and gain +1 damage when attacking characters with levels in Advanced Physics, Computer Science and Positivism.

Philistinie CON: 2 Skills: Philistinism (4+) Abilities Philistines are the orcs of DnDis, tougher than Brain Molds, which they often keep as pets and trained animals, even using as mounts if they are big enough. They hate all forms of knowledge and do their best to destroy it, and will ignore most people in favor of books, scrolls, and other containers of knowledge. Entire cities have been sacked, every book and scroll burned to ashes by Philistines. Philistines live a tribal life lead by Philistine Clerks. They prefer to live in the burnt out ruins of Libraries, but a good cave will do in a pinch. They are also known to attack paper making factories and logging companies, but this is just to prevent books and scrolls from being written and doesn't stem from any wish to protect the environment. Destroy Knowledge: Philistine Clerks can do damage equal to 1d6+ their targets KNO. This also causes all stats to be reduced by 1, and the victim to be unable to move for 1 turn. Platonist Oratory(3+) Platonism (4+) CON (Average CON of the party) Platonists are a tricky bunch; they don't have opinions of their own so much as pervert the opinions of their opponents. Following the path of Socrates, Platonists wander the world exposing the foolishness of their enemies and swiping away preconceived notions; using convincing but unsatisfying speeches, they make use of their skills, but they leave no new idea in their wake, effectively creating a path of destruction behind them. Platonists are fairly disliked in the philosophical world, because they add nothing of their own. Socratic Method: The Platonist asks a series of questions stemming from a Philosopher's standpoint, seemingly leaving the opponent in a logical fallacy. The opponent tries to figure his way out of the method, effectively stunning him for 1d6 turns -LOG. Expose the foolishness: The Platonist attacks an opponent's philosophy and exposes and error in

thinking; The attack deals 1d6+Oration damage, and if it hits, automatically damages the opponent's class skill, along with the defending skill.

Pseudoscientist Pseudoscience (2+) Any other skill (2+) CON 2+ Pseudoscientists are those who have forsaken their legitimate scientific peers in order to follow some implausible theory. Once they find one, they then begin to build their whole philosophical being around it, creating an awkward entity known as a Construct. Their investment in this surreal Construct gives them added power in numbers, but connects their philosophy so much to it that, should it fall, so will the Pseudoscientist! Strange Correlation: All Pseudoscientists have a Pseudoscientific Construct. The usual relationship is that is has their Pseudoscience+1, Other Skill -1, and their CON+1, though not always. Should one die or become senseless, so does the other. Pseudoscientists always deal Pseudoscientific damage. Satirist Literature (1+) Satire (2+) CON 10+ The juggling clowns of the Philosophical world, Satirists are known for their scathing wit and acid tongues. While individually very weak, Satirists have the ability to summon philosophical "dummies"; caricatures of a Satirist's opponent, effectively creating a minion. Satirists also have a very high constitution, making them particularly difficult to kill. Philosophical Clown: The satirist summons a caricature of a philosophy (an Existential Clown, for example) with a skill of [Philosophy](3) and Satire (2), and 4 CON. The clowns cannot be damaged by the philosophy being made fun of, and deal double damage to any character with

said philosophy. All Philosophical Clowns are dispelled when the Satirist is destroyed. Acid tongue: The Satirist spits acid at an opponent, causing 2d6Lit+Sat personal damage. Somnambulist CON: 4+ Skills: Solipsism(6) These unfortunate souls have found themselves (usually unwillingly) split between dreams and reality, either by virtue of psychosis or intense philosophical quandary. Their ethereal-looking forms aren't very tough, but their powerful solipsistic worldview means that you'll want to put them down quickly before they can do too much damage. Butterfly Form: Somnambulists can move between two forms at will. Butterflies, inspired by Daoist teachings, are by far the most popular choice. Dismiss: Since they think you are their dream, they can attempt to convince you to leave it. If this attack hits, the target character instantly falls into a deep sleep until the Somnambulist is destroyed, or they leave the Somnambulists field of perception. Since they are asleep, they cannot be healed of this condition by another person as they cannot hear the argument. Sophist Sophism (4+) Relativism (3+) CON: 6+ The Sophists are the remnants of what used to be a highly successful and well-respected secular, charismatic Greek school of relativism that existed before Plato entered the scene in ancient times. Whilst the school is long dead, some vengeful ghosts of Sophists still stalk the deepest places of the Discourse universe as faceless, ever-shifting spectres, embodying the thousand viewpoints they hold at their beck and call. Sphere of Pluralism: An area-of-effect attack that entraps any philosophers caught in it in a sea of opinions, preventing them from running.

Dunamis: The Sophists' signature attack. After

charging for a turn, it may attack one target using a to-hit roll that combines both their remaining skills, and deals double damage. Troglodyte Skills: Any obscure, even made-up belief (3-5) CON: Relatively high (3+) These incorrigible souls, the twisted remnants of normal philosophers, once made the unfortunate mistake of binding themselves absolutely unconditionally to a single mode of thought. Naturally, the world turned, and new and more credible (or charismatic) schools of philosophy arose, but these found themselves for some reason unable to turn with it. While their Conviction only grew with time, they nevertheless turned into wicked caricatures of their former selves. Although this is the fateful story of most Monsters, there always remain nameless, countless lost remnants of cults and thought, clinging to life in a vain attempt to see their star rise once more...