Fantasy (GURPS, 4th Edition)

✍ Scribed by William H. Stoddard

• Publisher: Steve Jackson Games
• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 242
• Edition: 4
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Create a world that could never be! GURPS Fantasy is the complete toolkit to let you build a campaign of heroic deeds and wondrous magic. It discusses the genre in depth - with all its subgenres and inspirations (myth, novels, movies, etc.) - letting you design just the kind of fantasy setting that you want. GURPS Fantasy gives detailed, concrete advice - from the basics of the landscape itself, through its inhabitants and cultures, to the details of believable histories and politics. It also examines the nature of supernatural forces, and discusses the impact of wizards, monsters, and gods. And, of course, it looks at the many different ways that magic and users of magic can work in a fantasy world. And, perhaps most importantly, it advises GMs and players alike on the kinds of characters appropriate to fantasy - including ordinary folks, people with fantastic powers, and nonhumans. Whether your model is Tolkien, Jordan, or Leiber, this book will let create a town, a country, or an entire world. Like all Fourth Edition books, it's a full-color hardcover. This book greatly expands on the advice for running fantasy games from the previous edition of GURPS Fantasy. For the Yrth setting, check out GURPS Banestorm.

✦ Table of Contents

Table of Contents......Page 3
Introduction......Page 5
1. Planning the Campaign......Page 6
Low Fantasy......Page 7
On the Borders......Page 8
Fantasy Worlds......Page 11
Fantasy in the Real World......Page 14
Base and Mission Campaigns......Page 16
2. The Supernatural......Page 18
Intrinsic Magic......Page 19
Subjective Magic......Page 20
Using Magic in Campaigns......Page 22
Natural Magic......Page 23
Enchantment......Page 24
Runic Enchantment......Page 26
Holy Relics......Page 27
Magical Beings......Page 30
Spirits in the Material World......Page 31
Angels......Page 32
Half-Mortals......Page 33
Using Spirits in Campaigns......Page 34
Dreamlands......Page 35
Heavens......Page 36
Pocket Universes......Page 37
Reincarnation......Page 38
Ascension and Deification......Page 39
Planets......Page 40
Many Worlds......Page 41
Magical Landscapes......Page 42
Impossible Environments......Page 43
Aspected Mana......Page 44
Magical Networks......Page 46
Plant and Animal Legends......Page 47
Imaginary Species......Page 48
Magical Species and Mana Organs......Page 49
Monsters......Page 50
Giants......Page 51
Hybrids......Page 52
Possessed Creatures......Page 53
Magical Creations......Page 54
Victims of Curses......Page 55
Offspring of Gods......Page 56
Races and Cultures......Page 57
Races......Page 59
Wugs......Page 60
Cultures......Page 62
The Place of Humanity......Page 64
Magic and Technology......Page 65
Magically Enhanced Technology......Page 66
Technologically Enhanced Magic......Page 67
True Kings and Sacred Covenants......Page 69
Supernatural Elites......Page 70
Everyday Magic......Page 71
The Control of Magic......Page 72
Religion......Page 73
Foreign Relations......Page 74
4. Histories......Page 75
Mythic Time......Page 76
Real History......Page 78
Divergent History......Page 79
Dawn Ages......Page 80
City-States......Page 81
Decadence......Page 82
Exhaustion......Page 83
Catastrophe......Page 84
Dark Ages......Page 85
Disturbances......Page 86
Natural Disasters......Page 87
Plagues......Page 89
Magical Disasters......Page 90
Ruins......Page 91
Relics......Page 92
5. Localities......Page 93
Villages......Page 94
Cities......Page 95
Imperial Capitals......Page 97
Arms and Armor......Page 98
Inns and Taverns......Page 99
Information Sources......Page 100
Courts and Castles......Page 101
Holy Places......Page 102
Magical Capabilities......Page 103
6. Characters......Page 105
Racial Templates......Page 106
Undead Lenses......Page 113
Occupational Templates......Page 115
Advantages......Page 129
Disadvantages......Page 133
New Meta-Traits......Page 134
Skills......Page 135
New Techniques......Page 137
Status and Cost of Living......Page 138
Income......Page 139
Equipment......Page 141
Vehicles......Page 142
Vehicular Weapons......Page 145
7. Magical Arts......Page 147
Low of Magic......Page 148
Formulaic Magic......Page 149
High Magic......Page 152
Levels of Skill and Skill Hierarchies......Page 154
Duration......Page 155
Alternative Magic Systems......Page 156
Modified Magic......Page 161
Magical Lenses......Page 164
Nonhuman Magic......Page 168
Air Spells......Page 169
Healing Spells......Page 170
Meta-Spells......Page 171
Plant Spells......Page 172
Magical Pluralism: How to Use This Chapter......Page 173
8. Storylines......Page 174
Into the Labyrinth......Page 175
Perilous Journeys......Page 176
Warfare......Page 177
Treasons, Stratagems, and Spoils......Page 178
Diplomacy......Page 179
Investigations......Page 180
Confrontations......Page 181
Through a Glass, Darkly......Page 182
Learning Experiences......Page 183
Shore Leave......Page 185
Varieties of Forces......Page 187
Battles......Page 189
Magic and Warfare......Page 191
Mythical Beasts in Combat......Page 194
9. Roma Arcana......Page 196
Foes and Menaces......Page 197
Imperial Assets......Page 198
Men of Destiny......Page 201
Gods and Spirits......Page 202
Sacrifices......Page 203
Divination......Page 204
Sacred Grounds......Page 205
Mystery Cults......Page 206
Sorcery......Page 208
Black Arts......Page 209
The Anger of the Gods......Page 211
Bestiary......Page 212
Racial Templates......Page 214
Occupational Templates......Page 215
Advantages, Disadvantages, and Skills......Page 220
Wealth and Status......Page 222
Equipment......Page 224
Who's in Charge?......Page 225
Schools......Page 226
Humans Foes......Page 227
Nonhuman Foes......Page 231
Adventure Seeds......Page 232
Roma Arcana Bibliography......Page 233
Bibliography......Page 234
Index......Page 239

✦ Subjects

GURPS