Abilities: Low-Level Elemental Touch Spells:

Alright, so now that we've got the ability system in place for proper listings, let's go over some low-level elemental touch spells.

Fiery Touch (1 FP/5 Uses/1 FP After)(5 Minutes/1 Turn)(1 INT/5 INT)(Any Magic Source/1 Range/Touch, Fire): The user of this ability creates heat where their fingertips touch, setting the spot on fire.  This may be used outside of combat, but within it causes 2 damage if successful.  Prerequisites: Elemental Knowledge I.

Watery Touch (1 FP/5 Uses/1 FP After)(5 Minutes/1 Turn)(1 INT/5 INT)(Any Magic Source/1 Range/Touch, Water): The user of this ability condenses humidity where their fingertips touch, drawing moisture out of the nearby area to form water.  This may be used outside of combat, but within it causes 2 damage if successful by drawing it out of the foe.  Prerequisites: Elemental Knowledge I.

Green Touch (1 FP/5 Uses/1 FP After)(5 Minutes/1 Turn)(1 INT/5 INT)(Any Magic Source/1 Range/Touch, Plant): The user of this ability causes plants to stretch toward a location their fingertips touch.  This may be used outside of combat, but within it may entangle a foe.  Prerequisites: Elemental Knowledge I.

Wind Touch (1 FP/5 Uses/1 FP After)(5 Minutes/1 Turn)(1 INT/5 INT)(Any Magic Source/1 Range/Touch, Air): The user of this ability causes the air in an area to blow forcefully toward a location their fingertips touch.  This may be used outside of combat, but within it causes 2 damage if successful.  Prerequisites: Elemental Knowledge I.

Frost Touch (1 FP/5 Uses/1 FP After)(5 Minutes/1 Turn)(1 INT/5 INT)(Any Magic Source/1 Range/Touch, Ice): The user of this ability causes the heat to come out of the location their fingertips touch, freezing it.  This may be used outside of combat, but within it causes 2 damage if successful.  Prerequisites: Elemental Knowledge I.

Metal Touch (1 FP/5 Uses/1 FP After)(5 Minutes/1 Turn)(1 INT/5 INT)(Any Magic Source/1 Range/Touch, Metal): The user of this ability causes metal to bend where their fingertips touch, deflecting it from its path and the like.  This may be used outside of combat, but within it causes 2 EP damage to metal.  Prerequisites: Elemental Knowledge I.

Electric Touch (1 FP/5 Uses/1 FP After)(5 Minutes/1 Turn)(1 INT/5 INT)(Any Magic Source/1 Range/Touch, Electric): The user of this ability causes static electricity to gather and create a shocking jolt where their fingertips touch.  This may be used outside of combat, but within it causes 2 damage if successful.  Prerequisites: Elemental Knowledge I.

Stone Touch (1 FP/5 Uses/1 FP After)(5 Minutes/1 Turn)(1 INT/5 INT)(Any Magic Source/1 Range/Touch, Stone): The user of this ability causes stone to crack and create small handholds where their fingertips touch.  This may be used outside of combat, but within it causes 2 EP damage to stone if successful.  Prerequisites: Elemental Knowledge I.

Blood Touch (1 FP/5 Uses/1 FP After)(5 Minutes/1 Turn)(1 INT/5 INT)(Any Magic Source/1 Range/Touch, Blood): The user of this ability causes blood to come from nearby sources to the location their fingertips touch through the path of least resistance.  This may be used outside of combat, but within it causes 2 damage if successful.  Prerequisites: Elemental Knowledge I.

Sandy Touch (1 FP/5 Uses/1 FP After)(5 Minutes/1 Turn)(1 INT/5 INT)(Any Magic Source/1 Range/Touch, Sand/Dust): The user of this ability causes sand and dust to stir up and move to the location touched by their fingertips.  This may be used outside of combat, but within it causes a -2 FIN penalty to any trying to strike them if successful.  Prerequisites: Elemental Knowledge I.

Bone Touch (1 FP/5 Uses/1 FP After)(5 Minutes/1 Turn)(1 INT/5 INT)(Any Magic Source/1 Range/Touch, Bone): The user of this ability causes bones to crack close to where their fingertips touch.  This may be used outside of combat, but within it causes 2 damage if successful.  Prerequisites: Elemental Knowledge I.

Slime Touch (1 FP/5 Uses/1 FP After)(5 Minutes/1 Turn)(1 INT/5 INT)(Any Magic Source/1 Range/Touch, Slime/Ink): The user of this ability causes any slime or ink in the area to gather where their fingertips touch.  This may be used outside of combat, but within it causes -2 FIN penalty to any blinded by or standing on the slime or ink if successful.  Prerequisites: Elemental Knowledge I.


Of the various abilities listed above, some are more obviously suited to combat than others in a wider range of use, while some are better suited to non-combat uses while having only a touch modifier, and others still are incredibly useful regardless of whether used in combat or outside it. Fiery touch is useful for lighting many torches, watery touch to gather something to drink, metal touch to possibly damage locks for breaking and entering, stone touch for climbing, slime touch for setting traps, and so forth.  The possibilities for play with them are multitude even at so low a level and so limited in range.  It all depends on how creative the players and GM are with how they can be used.

System Mechanics: Leveling Revisited, Threat Levels and Tiered XP Rewards:

One of the most basic system mechanics of MaL was missing from it for quite a while without my realization due to the manner in which playtesting has thus far happened.  Simply put, the mechanic in question helps a GM determine what sort of encounters to give players, as well as how much experience to give for them.  Because I set up the scenarios ahead of time with a plan for what monsters would be in an area, despite the amount of improv I used, the monsters themselves were chosen for low-level players intentionally, not by rolling to determine, and not from the perspective of someone who doesn't know how they rate against low-level players.  Once this mechanic's absence was pointed out to me, I started working on how to apply it best, as well as how to resolve the changes to leveling that it would require.  Thankfully, the leveling system itself shown on the dev blog didn't detail all of the possible choices being tested, so let's look at where the dev blog had things first.  CXP is gained from using combat-related abilities, RXP is gained from using non-combat abilities, and GXP is gained from using any ability.  CXP may only be used to level up combat abilities, RXP for non-combat abilities, and GXP for either, or for leveling up Stats and Attributes directly during training and studying.  Previously, a character's level was determined solely by the averaging of Stats and Attributes.  After consideration toward matching the challenge of enemies to one's level, I've altered that, as some enemies may have low stats or attributes but still be quite dangerous, while others might be very difficult to kill, but almost harmless in their attacks.  Clearly this wouldn't make any sense to leave as it was, due to the wide range of imbalanced situations.  Instead, I've come up with a new method:

Character/Creature/Terror Level = (((Stats + Attributes)/12) + (Mobility Score) + (Averaged Damage Dealing))/10.

Mobility Score = (Range + Speed + Travel Types Sum [1 = Stationary, 2 = Ground-Based, 3 = Swimming, 4 = Flight, 5 = Teleporting.  Add together any applicable.])/3

Averaged Damage Dealing = (Sum Total of Damage-Dealing Abilities Damage Amounts)/Sum Total of Number of Damage-Dealing Abilities.

One that had a Stats + Attributes total of 48 divided by 12 to be 4, Mobility of 6, and Average Damage Dealing of 12 would have a total of 22 before being divided up, putting them at 2.2.  As this always rounds down rather than up, the player or creature would be a level 2.  The reason for having low-level numbers compared to other RPGs that let players 'ding' faster is to make it a sense of accomplishment as well as allow it to feel more rewarding in terms of a player's character being able to do so many more things by the time they reach the next level that they have earned their level and the accompanying threat level of terrors they face.  Additionally, due to the massive number of possible abilities one could learn, this makes it more obvious who has put the effort in and possibly ascended to wrestle with higher powered beings themselves.  Additionally, the higher one's level is, the more likely that they've grown their renown as well along the way, making others recognize the danger that they may pose if angered.

One could theoretically keep adding on ability after ability that are all combat-related but not level any up and put themselves lower with a level score, but as prerequisite knowledge would be required in order to gain those abilities, or other abilities before them.  In order to counter this, level scores can only stagnate, not go down.  If someone has averaged out their score to be lower than their level, they won't level up until they've raised the average up again.  This allows some players the ability to spread out and learn a lot of different abilities without raising the amount of troubles they will face at higher levels if unprepared, but at the same time a GM would most likely not give them much of a challenging encounter as a result.  Generally, if one character is facing another, their threat level is their normal level, but if facing more foes, the threat level increases as the sum of the different leveled foes.  Having allies, companions, mercenaries and teammates at your side may raise the level of the party to be able to take on harder foes, but it is suggested to not go more than two levels higher than the party's level for the safety of its members.  The minimum payout of experience for a successful combat round is determined by the threat level in comparison to the player or party's level.  If a player or party is equal level to the threat level of their foes, they get the exact amount of XP given by that tier, plus the random XP gained from using abilities and GM discretion.  If their levels were higher, they get a percentage of the XP, with each player's percentage being compared, as lower-leveled players would learn more from the encounter than those that have faced something of that threat level frequently.  Those that face higher than their level would be given bonus XP multipliers.

-10 Tier: - 100% of XP.  This would gain rewards, but no XP save that from using abilities and GM discretion.
-9 Tier: - 90% of XP
-8 Tier: -80% of XP
-7 Tier: -70% of XP
-6 Tier: -60% of XP
-5 Tier: -50% of XP
-4 Tier: -40% of XP
-3 Tier: -30 of XP
-2 Tier: -20% of XP
-1 Tier: -10% of XP
= Tier: 100% of XP
+1 Tier: 110% of XP
+2 Tier: 120% of XP
+3 Tier: 130% of XP
+4 Tier: 140% of XP
+5 Tier: 150% of XP
+6 Tier: 160% of XP
+7 Tier: 170% of XP
+8 Tier: 180% of XP
+9 Tier: 190% of XP
+10 Tier: 200% of XP

Technically the tier scale can go even higher in the positive direction, but it is mere extrapolation and highly unlikely to be utilized due to the sheer overwhelming odds and masterful skill needed to with with so much of a disadvantage in those situations.

System Mechanics: Mounts and Vehicles:

Briefly touched on before, mounts and other methods of transportation aid characters going from one place to another.  Beasts of burden may carry their riders, carriages or other things, as well as magical, mechanical and other forms of transportation.  Creatures that have been tamed may be used as a mount, so long as they are at least one size range larger than the character, and capable of carrying their weight.  The more easily they can, the more efficient their travels as they will run closer to their top speed when unencumbered.  Within a map of an area, a mount and its rider share the same primary square, though the mount may have more than one if large enough.  A vehicle, likewise, may have more than one square if large enough.  All movement while using a mount or vehicle is at its speed, not that of the character, nor as a sum of the speeds, but rather a reduction from that of the mount or vehicle due to the weight carried:

Mount/Vehicle Speed = Top Speed - Reductions from Carried Weight.

The cost to use a mount or vehicle varies by its type, but a simple formula exists:

Daily Rental Mount/Vehicle Cost = ((Cost to Feed/Water/Fuel + Cost to Shelter) * 1d4)) + Applicable Taxes.

If a mount or vehicle falls on a player or it crashes, the damage dealt is found thus:

Mount/Vehicle Fall/Crash Damage:  (Speed Traveling * Hardness of Impacting Object/Mount/Vehicle * Weight Differential from user or damaged party) * 1/3.

The Barren Wastes of Thelatos:

Long ago, after the war between the High Chaotic Beings and High Ordered Beings had ended with their imprisonment, the First Infernal Beings and First Celestial Beings warred against each other for a millenia before realizing that they were losing power given to them by the focus of lesser beings upon them.  As a result, a temporary truce was decided for a time, each pulling a piece of the prison realms away to form their own new home, the First Infernal Beings naming their new realm Thelatos.  At first it held only a dark space, but slowly they took planets into it, some inhabited even before the Celestial Beings put a stop to that, making them take barren ones after.  They twisted the inhabitants and made them new infernal species, harvesting the resources of their planets until they crumbled and became nothing but wastes.  Occasionally the infernal beings will travel to other realms raiding resources to stockpile and devour, but their own lands are incapable of sustaining agriculture.  The barren wastes of Thelatos have terrified those that have glimpsed it, fearing the unending torment the infernal beings do to one another in order to greedily gain resources for themselves sooner than their kin.  Undying to mere hunger and thirst, some of these that are less crafty become bloodthirsty and travel to other realms more frequently than their kin.

The Ascended Isles of Serseki:

Serseki is a realm filled with islands floating above an eternal maelstrom, its winds tearing everything that enters it into shreds at the same time as its powerful lightning constantly jumping within the clouds has the potential to strike whatever enters as well.  It is a realm of contrast, as above the maelstrom the skies and very air are filled with positive energy, revitalizing visitors to it at twice their normal recovery rate.  While some of the islands may provide safe haven to those that find their way there for a short time, the realm is not uninhabited.  Its denizens are the Hundki, ascended entities of pure energy who have pledged non-interference and devoted themselves to understanding the universe, though some have exiled themselves so they may prevent those in the other realms from destroying each other entirely.  The Hundki may look like whatever they wish, though usually the form of their previous mortality is chosen, only clothed in white and glowing.  There are a few Hundki who have, from time to time, been captured by incredibly powerful spellcasters, psions or others with vast power and corrupted, though this is rare.  Throughout the realms, some of the Hundki's path to ascension have been spread by those who worked to achieve it, and by those who have exiled themselves as well.

System Mechanics: Professions:

As previously visited on the blog, there are many different professions available to players and other sentient characters, and each of them has its own prerequisites and benefits.  However, the mechanics themselves were not examined in much depth, and hence professions are revisited in this post.  Professions are generally the least dangerous method of gaining funds, and something that an adventuring character may either fall back on, expand from, retire to, or do alongside their normal questing.  For example, someone whose profession is to survey foreign or wild lands and send back samples might be paid by a wealthy nobleman, a military force, or a university for their exploration.

Profession: [Profession Name]: Prerequisites: Details of Prerequisites.
    Knowledge: Prerequisite Knowledge Name (and Level): Details.
    Skills: Prerequisite Skill Name (and Level): Details.
    Items: Prerequisite Item Name (and Level): Details.
    Income: Amount - Daily/Weekly/Monthly/Yearly (Wages or Profit from Sales vs. Costs)
    Place of Business: Location 1; Location 2; Etc. (Or Wandering)
    Employer: Name/Business Name/Self-Employed.
    Taxes: Amount - Location 1; Location 2, Etc. (If Applicable)

The Profession Name, Knowledge, Skills and Items needed may be the same in multiple different locations, but the income itself will vary based on the supply of the profession compared to the demand in the area, as well as the quality or work done in comparison, and the renown of the individual with the profession.

Income = Average Income * (Average Supply/Demand of Locations Worked) * (Quality Average of efforts of the profession's required work) * (Renown /100)

The more that individuals are satisfied with the quality of the work, the higher their renown will become, and the more business they will have if there is enough demand for it.  The Place of Business portion primarily deals with how many different locations that this job is done at, so as to help determine the total supply and demand in order to work out the income, as well as for handy reference of where the individual would be most known for their work.  The Employer entry may affect RP if business has a strong perception in the public eye and whether that is positive or negative, or being relatively unknown, or if the individual employer is much-loved or disliked, or if it is seen as something of a shame or pride to be self-employed.  The Taxes is an unavoidable effect of working in any area that taxes income, to show what money the government of the area will claim rightfully their own, and will most likely send officers of the local law if the taxes are unpaid.  This sum is listed from the wages earned in the applicable areas for the ease of the players and the GM, but the computer version would have this sorted out behind the scenes to go to each individual region that is taxed in order to let a player choose to pay taxes in one, many or no taxable area as they see fit to defy the local government if it has taxation on its citizens.

System Mechanics: Travel Between Realms:

There are more Realms to be detailed, but perhaps it is best to detail out the different ways that one may enter or travel through them, and potential benefits and consequences of each method.  First, there is the purely bystander method of peering in on a portion of the intended realm via scrying or another method of spying that does not mentally, magically or spiritually put a portion of the viewer into the realm itself.  This is the least risky, but some sights may still instill mental and emotional afflictions at a diminished amount compared to being present to see them, as well as the higher possibility that one or more other beings might be doing the same, peering in on the viewer.  Not all of them would be content merely to peer, however.  Second, the magical, mental or spiritual link to the realm via astral projection or similar method.  This allows the individual traveling the ability to see many things and pass through many things, but rarely able to directly interact with others in the realm, and some creatures and beings would be more strongly drawn to them.  Third, the magical, mental or spiritual representative body of an avatar, whether created from energy or dominating a denizen of the different realms.  This puts the most susceptibility to the individual using it as their body is relatively unguarded, but they are also visible to others and able to be hurt in the other realm.  Fourth, there is the actual physical travel into the realm itself.  This is by far the best way to ensure appropriate exploration of the realms, but at the same time the most dangerous in that those that use this method may quickly go from one realm to many others in more rapid succession, but they are also extremely vulnerable there.

The Forgotten Prison of Pral and its Captives: The Pragur:

Pral is the former home realm, and current prison of the High Chaotic Beings known as the Pragur, imprisoned within crystals left their by the Bodles after their last war with the Pragur.  Their realm is called The Forgotten Prison because most do not know of its existence, let alone its truename, its captives, its location, or what it originally was before becoming a prison.  The Pragur do not succumb to the slumber and merging properties of the crystals and are instead awake during their entire imprisonment, mentally writhing within the crystals.  Some weak Pragur managed to hide and are free, and some that are trapped can partially manifest into other realms, but thankfully they are unable to leave their prison completely.  The Pragur have reached out to the minds of fearful individuals and to those creative enough to describe what they see in waking dreams so that the Pragur may feed on the mental energies of those thinking about them, steadily influencing cultures over time to become more chaotic and hopefully desperate enough to try releasing one or more of them.  The Pragur are some of the oldest known beings in the universe, born shortly after the High Ordered Beings, and the war between the two sides spawned the Celestial and Infernal races, who worked with their Pral creators to seal off The White Void, home of the High Ordered Beings, and then betrayed them in fear for the power that the Pragur held and knowing their eventual plans for the universe: chaos unending until reality itself screamed and tore itself apart, freeing them to spread to other realms and universes.  Due to their multiple dimensional physical form, the Pragur are difficult to look at without a level of discomfort or even insanity in those less understanding of the universe and multidimensional beings.  They are tentacles and clouds, snakes and cold fire, dissonance and shifting sands.  They may assume flora and fauna natural forms to blend in when a small Pragur is free or if a larger one partially physically manifests, but even the simplest of creatures will recognize that something is off about them, something to be feared, though some may be too stupid not to listen to that nagging doubt and still ignore them or try to bargain with them...

The Glens of Tirae:

The Goblins, Gitwerg, Pixies and several other races were originally from other planets within the universe in a galaxy teeming with magic and life.  Long ago the Goblins and Gitwerg were driven out to far distant lands due to their many wars, so long that most of their history before their forced exodus was lost to become only snippets in stories.  The Pixies and other species there found other species invading their galaxy and the different races united in a common goal, struggling with the high ordered beings to separate out a portion of their realm into a new pocket dimension which they shifted their entire galaxy into.  It took considerable effort, many stars and planets destroyed in the act as well as many of the magic users, but they succeeded, leaving a dark nebula behind, and their new home realm was named Tirae.  Free from the influence of invading forces, the residents of this new realm struggled to keep the peace for millenniums, but eventually many succumbed to the lure of their ancestral origin, the pull of the high chaotic beings.  Several Pixies became sprites, and other species also worked to remain pure, some leaving Tirae as a whole back to the main realm, hoping a new planet for their species alone would be peaceful enough.  Many did not survive the journey back, but enough did to populate many planets.  Others remained behind, constantly in battle with their corrupted friends and family, seeking to free them and free their realm.  Due to the high concentration of magic, many of these planets have ended up reshaped to the whims of the corrupted, most mountains leveled and deep gashes cut into the land, which over time were reclaimed by the flora and fauna, turning the majority of the land into glens and meadows.

System Mechanics: Sustenance for Species:

Every species has a different amount of sustenance points needed for their normal health, as well as things they may eat more or less of in order to sate their appetite for something in particular, or to shy away from lest it make them ill.

Humans for maximum sustenance require 7 Orange (Protein), 7 Green (Carbs), and 5 Light Blue.  For maximum intake before negative consequences, humans may consume 20 White, 1 Black, 1 Purple, 3 Yellow, 12 Orange,  5 Red, 14 Green,  5 Blue,  2 Brown, 5 Light Brown, 1 Dark Gray, 3 Light Gray, 5 Light Yellow, 10 Pink, 10 Light Orange, 10 Light Purple, 8 Light Green, 15 Light Blue, 6 Cyan, and 20 Magenta, with a maximum of 30 total per day before weight gain (if at the standard weight and metabolism), and 40 total per day before sickness due to overeating.

Felinae for maximum sustenance require 9 Orange (Protein), 5 Green (Carbs), and 6 Light Blue.  For maximum intake before negative consequences, they may consume 20 White, 1 Black, 1 Purple, 2 Yellow, 11 Orange,  4 Red, 13 Green,  6 Blue,  3 Brown, 6 Light Brown, 1 Dark Gray, 2 Light Gray, 5 Light Yellow, 10 Pink, 9 Light Orange, 12 Light Purple, 9 Light Green, 15 Light Blue, 6 Cyan, and 20 Magenta, with a maximum of 30 total per day before weight gain (if at the standard weight and metabolism), and 40 total per day before sickness due to overeating.

Draconis Dragon-Kins for maximum sustenance require 10 Orange (Protein), 4 Green (Carbs), and 4 Light Blue.  For maximum intake before negative consequences, they may consume 20 White, 1 Black, 2 Purple, 4 Yellow, 19 Orange,  7 Red, 9 Green,  7 Blue,  1 Brown, 9 Light Brown, 2 Dark Gray, 2 Light Gray, 4 Light Yellow, 9 Pink, 12 Light Orange, 8 Light Purple, 9 Light Green, 10 Light Blue, 9 Cyan, and 18 Magenta, with a maximum of 30 total per day before weight gain (if at the standard weight and metabolism), and 40 total per day before sickness due to overeating.

Centaurs for maximum sustenance require 3 Orange (Protein), 10 Green (Carbs), and 5 Light Blue.  For maximum intake before negative consequences, they may consume 20 White, 2 Black, 1 Purple, 3 Yellow, 8 Orange,  4 Red, 18 Green,  4 Blue,  1 Brown, 4 Light Brown, 1 Dark Gray, 6 Light Gray, 3 Light Yellow, 12 Pink, 8 Light Orange, 5 Light Purple, 11 Light Green, 14 Light Blue, 4 Cyan, and 19 Magenta, with a maximum of 30 total per day before weight gain (if at the standard weight and metabolism), and 40 total per day before sickness due to overeating.

Gitwerg for maximum sustenance require 5 Orange (Protein), 5 Green (Carbs), and 8 Light Blue.  For maximum intake before negative consequences, they may consume 20 White, 1 Black, 1 Purple, 5 Yellow, 18 Orange,  2 Red, 8 Green,  2 Blue,  4 Brown, 6 Light Brown, 3 Dark Gray, 2 Light Gray, 2 Light Yellow, 9 Pink, 3 Light Orange, 9 Light Purple, 6 Light Green, 19 Light Blue, 14 Cyan, and 12 Magenta, with a maximum of 30 total per day before weight gain (if at the standard weight and metabolism), and 40 total per day before sickness due to overeating.

Goblins for maximum sustenance require 2 Orange (Protein), 9 Green (Carbs), and 6 Light Blue.  For maximum intake before negative consequences, they may consume 20 White, 2 Black, 2 Purple, 8 Yellow, 5 Orange,  3 Red, 8 Green,  3 Blue,  8 Brown, 5 Light Brown, 2 Dark Gray, 3 Light Gray, 9 Light Yellow, 12 Pink, 5 Light Orange, 12 Light Purple, 8 Light Green, 12 Light Blue, 3 Cyan, and 7 Magenta, with a maximum of 30 total per day before weight gain (if at the standard weight and metabolism), and 40 total per day before sickness due to overeating.

Pixies for maximum sustenance require 1 Orange (Protein), 4 Green (Carbs), and 4 Light Blue.  For maximum intake before negative consequences, they may consume 20 White, 0 Black, 0 Purple, 4 Yellow, 3 Orange,  7 Red, 12 Green,  7 Blue,  2 Brown, 2 Light Brown, 3 Dark Gray, 2 Light Gray, 4 Light Yellow, 8 Pink, 3 Light Orange, 5 Light Purple, 5 Light Green, 9 Light Blue, 2 Cyan, and 12 Magenta, with a maximum of 20 total per day before weight gain (if at the standard weight and metabolism), and 30 total per day before sickness due to overeating.

Naiads for maximum sustenance require 1 Orange (Protein), 2 Green (Carbs), and 11 Light Blue.  For maximum intake before negative consequences, they may consume 20 White, 0 Black, 0 Purple, 2 Yellow, 3 Orange,  2 Red, 7 Green,  2 Blue,  2 Brown, 1 Light Brown, 1 Dark Gray, 2 Light Gray, 3 Light Yellow, 9 Pink, 4 Light Orange, 6 Light Purple, 20 Light Green, 20 Light Blue, 2 Cyan, and 20 Magenta, with a maximum of 30 total per day before weight gain (if at the standard weight and metabolism), and 40 total per day before sickness due to overeating.

Cubi for maximum sustenance require 6 Orange (Protein), 2 Green (Carbs), and 4 Light Blue.  For maximum intake before negative consequences, they may consume 18 White, 4 Black, 4 Purple, 4 Yellow, 12 Orange, 4 Red, 8 Green,  4 Blue,  4 Brown, 9 Light Brown, 2 Dark Gray, 1 Light Gray, 4 Light Yellow, 7 Pink, 12 Light Orange, 3 Light Purple, 6 Light Green, 12 Light Blue, 6 Cyan, and 14 Magenta, with a maximum of 30 total per day before weight gain (if at the standard weight and metabolism), and 40 total per day before sickness due to overeating.

System Mechanics: Sustenance:

Every living creature must consume some form of sustenance, most in both liquid and solid forms, such as food and water.  The same applies to the sentients and other creatures in MaL, with benefits and consequences depending on the type, amount and effects of the items consumed.  Every creature's sustenance is determined by its species, and how many points it takes to have adequate nutrition.  When a creature's sustenance is full but not over-filled, then they regain their health and endurance at the normal rates.  If it is less than full they regain it at a lower rate scaling down as their sustenance drops lower.  Every species can consume certain substances from their normal diet, and can consume others outside it for added benefit, no benefit, or consequences.  For example, a Naiad consuming its normal diet has no added benefit, but consuming rice or other foods that absorb moisture they feel weaker, whereas things heavily saturated in liquids that aren't tainted by chemicals will feel better, possibly more than normal if the item consumed has an effect.  As different species consume different things, it is helpful to have an easy way to differentiate the food they can have, as seen in the list below:

White: Purified, free of any contaminants natural or otherwise.
Black: Tainted, containing rot or disease.
Purple: Tainted, containing poisons.
Yellow: Acidic.
Orange: Protein.
Red: Hot.
Green: Carbs.
Blue: Cold.
Brown: Alkaline.
Light Brown: Fatty.
Dark Gray: Metal.
Light Gray: Salty.
Light Yellow: Sour.
Pink: Sweet.
Light Orange: Spicy.
Light Purple: Bitter.
Light Green: Umami.
Light Blue: Liquid.
Cyan: Hard or Crunchy.
Magenta: Soft.

For a particular type of consumable sustenance, its details would include at the end a listing of its traits, such as below:

Item: Item Name (Weight) (Rarity) (Quality) (Value) (Toughness) (EP) (Aspects): Description. [Sustenance points; Details of taste with quantity amount between 1 and 20]

If a creature has the item as part of their regular diet, then they get 1 extra sustenance point for consuming the item.  If it is outside the degree of their tolerable taste they get -1 sustenance point, and if inedible to them then they are unable to eat it without taking 1 EP damage at minimum per 3 sustenance points, and if no EP remains, then 1 HP damage per 3 sustenance points.

As a player chooses their food they may select what to eat within a day and when, or if the GM permits, they may simply expend an amount of CP per day while in a town to automatically find enough food for the day and to the distance of their travels if they are uninterrupted and know the number of days to their destination.  However, this will cost the CP and more time of the character's day for not only finding their food and drink to consuming both, but also due to GM discretion on difficulties getting their sustenance within a timely manner.  In the wilderness, or even in some civilized areas, one may also use their skills at tracking, hunting, identifying edible food and water, and gathering to be able to find their meals, though they might be poor to taste, such as an ill-prepared knight having to consume insects and hearty weeds for some of their sustenance on a long journey.  If something has rot, disease or poison, a GM may either have it planned out already what it is and its effects, or choose from dice roll or discretion as fits the situation.

The Crystal Slumber:

Today another realm is touched upon, The Crystal Slumber, Feluk, home to the crystaline sentients known as the Bodel.  While their lands are filled with valuable minerals and abundant clean water, they also have many crystals which hum with positive energy, though their song can lull the unprepared into a deep slumber.  If this happens, the crystals will coat them with their expansion and slowly convert them into Bodle clusters, spawning eggs from which Bodles hatch.  When two or more individuals are coated in the crystals and their crystals meet, a new Bodle is born with mixed memories and positive traits from its 'parents'.  Those used to make a new Bodle will then be freed by their offspring, though it may have been centuries before they were returned to their native realm.  Those that are freed will be given an incredible amount of wealth in return for their time and service, but some may say that the cost of potentially living beyond the deaths of their loved ones may not be worth it...

The Silicon Fields:

As The Somnium Bleed, land of dreams and nightmares, has been touched on, it is only fitting that The Silicon Fields also be covered.  This realm is the digital plane, where information and calculations are brought to life as well as the many interfaces between machines and sentients, most commonly those which are entertainment media, such as digital games.  Characters from one source may interact with those from another, and several frequently try to leave the capital of Cybron to either dare the wilderness and raw information seas to find new lands, or to escape the realm itself.  This is chiefly due to the ruling powers, the Uushar pantheon pitting their citizens and visitors to the realm against one another as well as testing both themselves, usually under the guise of a character familiar to the visitors.  The Mertame are generally peaceful, being sentient lifeforms that are comprised of digital dna with no physical form outside the realm save that which they interface or merge with, though they can be powerful when backed into a corner.  The Vigram are infectious beasts that grow in cunning and even to sentience the more they absorb condensed data, the lifeblood of the creatures of the realm, developing and becoming more complex as they develop.  They are destructive and seek to turn others into more of them if they think they may be powerful and useful as they cannot turn on their 'advancer', but will drain the unworthy of their data to survive and show their dominating power.  Sentients from outside the realm might at first think that they are safe, but it is as real once physically inside it as The Somnium Bleed is to those that physically enter it, and even if just mentally entering it they may leave themselves open to mental attack or the possibility of physical problems while interfaced if not properly guarded.

Item: Crimson Guitaxe of Furious Fingers:

Furious Fingers was a famous bard known for traveling with a band of adventurers who almost all were bardically trained to some degree as well.  Furious Fingers sang, wrote music and lyrics, played guitar, played piano and a few other instruments, even constructed some instruments and other musical items both magical and mundane.  In addition to the speed he could play instruments, he also was known for his temper, hence his moniker.  Very few know his true name, and some claim that those who do are able to make additional use from the items he made due to a secret enchantment placed on each item.  While not all of the items created by him did, this is one with such a hidden extra enchantment.

Item: Crimson Guitaxe of Furious Fingers (7 Pounds) (Mythical) (Marvelous) (335 Platinum Pieces) (8 Toughness) (9 EP) (Phrase Activation, Enhancement Bonuses):  This guitar has a very sharp blade coming out of one side of it, and is light-weight, but very durable, allowing it to be used both as an instrument and a battleaxe.  It has changed hands over the years and occasionally appeared at auction or temporarily in the hands of famous bards, but has not been seen in many years.  Some say that there was only one ever made, while others claim that due to the distance and timing of its past appearances that there must be anywhere from three to six of them, or perhaps even more hidden away somewhere.  The Crimson Guitaxe has three known powers:

1) +3 Bonus to Stringed Instrument Perform Checks.
2) +3 Bonus to Alertness for all within range of hearing while playing.
3) +2 Bonus to Improvised Weapon Check after three days without change in ownership.

It also has two hidden enchantments for those who learn Furious Fingers truename:

1) +5 Bonus to Charisma while the owner is within range of the Crimson Guitaxe.
2) +3 Bonus to Seduction Check for those not repulsed by Bards.

Item: Red Breastplate of Beastly Forms:

In areas with many enchanters, some stylized items may actually hold more power and purpose than what they originally appear to have.  One example is the Red Breastplate of Beastly Forms.

Item: Red Breastplate of Beastly Forms (15 lbs) (Rare) (Excellent) (21 GP, 186 CP) (2 Toughness) (4 EP) (Shape Change, Animal Tongue, Speech Retention): This steel breastplate has been passed through the bluing process to be black, but engraved runes and animal depictions of a fox, phoenix, and squid, have been put into the breastplate in a copper and iron mixture to give it a more noticeable red percentage of the surface.  It is said that the creator of this and other enchanted armor pieces created it, there were other colored sets and other types of armor belonging to each set, though none have publicly displayed more than two pieces at a time per colored set.  Perhaps the rumors are just that, or perhaps the pieces are too scattered to have a full set.  When one wears the breastplate it does offer a fair amount of use simply as armor, but in addition it allows the wearer to use an activation phrase to morph into one of the three animals, as well as retain not only their own language to speak in, but that of the animal they have morphed into.  In order to resume their natural form, however, they need to speak a different phrase to change back.  While in animal form they must not lose the breastplate, now reshaped to fit their new form, or they will be unable to speak their normal form or return back until they get it back or have assistance from other means.  These limitations have been used by shifty individuals in the past to not only get rid of enemies or prey, but also to gain byproducts from those creatures to sell.  Let the buyer beware, should they fail to ensure they have the proper phrase to change back...

Obana Village: The Blue Hen Tavern And Inn

Obana Village, while a tightly knit local population, is not devoid of weary travelers visiting it either in passing to take a ship out to sea or for visiting relatives or those merely wandering and finding the town amicable to spend the night in. To that end Captain Harge Kronin, formerly of the Great Suarn Empire's Imperial Fleet, chose to spend his retirement package not only on his collection of glass eyeballs to wear in lieu of the one he lost, but also to settle down in the town he was born in, and buy a failing tavern. After renovating it and expanding it to also include rooms for rent, he christened its "The Blue Hen Tavern and Inn". After marrying one of his patrons for many years the two had a daughter, Iljaka Kronin, who now works there as well, though her mother passed away years ago. The draught beer, wine and other beverages they sell are of fair quality to the cost, and the food is always fresh and filling. Entertainers rent a corner with a portion of their tip or by bringing new recipes for him to test out to steadily improve the menu. Iljaka has a few suitors, some of which also work at the tavern, but none have won her hand or her heart.

Population Center: Obana Village:

Welcome to wonderful Obana Village, a peaceful seaside town nestled on the northern edge of the Adslein continent, which is the center of the Great Suarn Empire.  A quarter of the unfrozen land and oceans on Lenida are under the Great Suarn Empire's control, held firmly by its large navy and the strength of its troops.  Obana Village is primarily populated with Glacias Draconis Dragon-Kin residents, being a moderately sized village, and therefore less apt to go out of its way to accommodate the catering of foreigners wishing to settle there, and due to its heavily labor-driven job market there aren't many new positions open for newcomers unless they can afford to create them.  It's a quiet town, mostly.  The Guard have a fort on one of the buttes that dot the landscape, training atop its surface and in the forest below, though even their drills are relatively segregated from the blanket of calm in most of Obana Village.  There are a couple of wizards in town, as well as some psions and tinkerers who make their living from their skills, but most are less gifted in such things, resigning themselves to be carpenters, lumberjacks, farmers, fishermen, miners, butchers, and the like.  There also is a sheriff and his jail, a harbor master with his docks and lighthouse, an aspiring poet postman, a sculptor, The Blue Hen Tavern and Inn, and the supposedly haunted Jarken Manor which has laid abandoned for a couple decades.  Few adventurers had come from this town in recent history, but some have risen up after a mysterious object crashed on it shores, with strange creatures abducting not only four of the Guard, but the heir apparent Prince and his fiance, a blind prophetess and acolyte to The Church of the Golden Claw.  Here many playtesters have begun their journeys...

Adslein Continent: City Locations:

Further exploring the playtesting on planet Lenida, the Adslein Continent is examined.  The location the players have started in thus far has been Obana Village on the northern edge of the continent.  Dekan city has been visited on a few occasions by one of the playtesters, but aside from that no other cities have been reached.  The two colonies belong to the Great Suarn Empire, being home to most of the human population on the continent in the Ulnae Colony, and most of the young pure dragons being raised in the Kunkar Colony or the temples of The Church of The Golden Claw in the capital, Rekande, and Gadje Village.  All of the cities have their own primary professions, market deals and other draws for adventurers, but more on those another time.

Atlas Galactica: Planet Lenida:

As most are aware, even the most vast of RPG systems allowing multiple planets, dimensions, timelines and realms are still tested within one smaller aspect for finding balancing issues and other problems and working out how to solve them.  To that end, MaL has been and is being tested with Planet Lenida, specifically the northern portion of Adslein, which has been mentioned in the blog before.  However, no map or depiction of it has been shown before, until now.

 

There are several continents and islands on this mostly water planet, some of which will be covered in more detail the further along playtesting goes and the closer MaL is for release, with Planet Lenida as one of the starting planets for pre-made campaigns.  The dashed lines are where each continental rise terminates to meet the ocean floor, as well as the territorial waters of that continent or island.  Due to the high amount of water to land mass ratio, the vast majority of civilizations on it are at steam technology or higher, allowing them to traverse the oceans with relative ease.  There are other civilizations, mostly small or highly secretive, that have less technology, or may be isolationist and have more.  The playtesters have thus far been only in a small part of Adslein, center of the Great Suarn Empire, from which the Glacias Draconis Dragon-Kin hold the most power with the strongest navy and largest non-barren landmass.  Their diplomatic relations with the empires ran primarily by the other Draconis Dragon-Kin races is tenuous at best, with Siktar being the seat of power for the Aduron, and Hokare belonging to the Wrende and Ventun primarily.  The Gitwerg mostly rule their empire from Kor, with dotted fortified islands spread across the oceans too small to see from orbit, with the underground passages between them being much more populated than their surface strongholds.  The Goblins primarily live on the ocean on artificial islands and underground, but the leadership of their Federation is in Avende.  The Centaurs after a long history of slavery have taken Bythatrum as a home, settling in with the protected human population there.  The humans have mostly protected colonies on the various continents and islands, but no truly significant political or military power.  The Felinae too have no significant political or military power, though they do not have a protected status on their colonies and tend to be harder to find for their own protection.  The Naiads, being non-native to this planet, are beginning to settle in the ocean Southeast of Adslein.  The Cubi, also being non-native, mostly live in their merchant fleet, though some dotted islands are also in their control.  The Pixies, also non-native, go wherever they feel like it, taking up too little space for any significant attempt to keep them from settling once they choose a home.  The other continents and islands have not been well explored due to so few returning from attempting to chart them, though enough have traveled around them to map out their general shape and size.  Who knows what will await adventurers who brave the mysterious shores of The Frozen North, The Southern Silence, Lucorene, Rhydarcus, Tesaria, Espus, Osenged, Grechi and Niljaka?

System Mechanics: Religious Types:

In MaL there are many different types of religious beliefs, many of which tie directly into Soul Magic and where the source of an acolyte or other practitioner's power.  As the system is designed to work across the expanse of space and time, many different higher beings may have followers in some sectors of space and domain over certain elements or physics or other matters, sharing a pantheon with other higher beings, or they might be the sole higher being in an area, or might claim to be the sole one depending on how much feuding was going between the different higher beings in a given region of influence.  For the sake of simplification, each religion and higher being is categorized for easy comprehension.  While some which will be covered for playtesting purposes are more specific to an area, the generation tables below are for GMs to be able to easily create a structure on which to develop a religion within their scenarios for better realism and immersion.


RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATION
1-20 Church: Generally an established, hierarchical organization.
21-40 Cult: A large or small group usually attached to a single charismatic leader.
41-60 Fellowship: Small group(s) that lack formal organization and a charismatic leader.
61-80 Solitary: When a character either has unique beliefs or chooses not to affiliate religiously with others.
81-100 Indigenous: Religious traditions within a cultural group, such as a family or village.

RELIGIOUS ROLES
1-7 Abbot/Abbess: Leader of a monastery or convent.
8-13 Cult Leader: Usually a charismatic head of a small group of highly devoted followers.
14-20 Disciple: Dedicated follower of a religious teacher or leader.
21-26 Guru: Spiritual teacher.
27-33 Spiritual Hermit: One who follows a solitary and isolated spiritual path.
34-40 Inquisitor: An official tasked with finding and "correcting" people who have broken religious rules.
41-46 Jihadist: A religious warrior.
47-53 Missionary: Dedicated to converting others, usually in distant geographic areas.
54-59 Monk/Nun: Belongs to a monastery or convent.
60-66 Patriarch/Matriarch: Leader of an organized religion, such as a pope.
67-73 Pilgrim: One traveling to a holy site or landmark.
74-79 Priest/Priestess: Someone authorized to administer sacraments as an ordained member of a church.
80-86 Prophet: One inspired to utter revelations or predictions, often in service to a specific deity.
87-93 Sacred Courtesan: Has sex, often with strangers, in service to a religion and for a symbolic price.
94-100 Shaman: A medium between the material and spirit world who practices healing and divination.

HIGHER BEING
Called Name [True Name] /Aliases & Titles/ (Area of Influence)(Fields of Influential Powers): Description [Favor Requirements]  -Soul Power Boons & Abilities.

Terror: Mimic:

One of the common staples of RPG bestiaries is the mimic, a shapeshifting creature that tempts adventurers and attacks them when their deception is revealed. MaL also has the mimic, with its version being a clay and blood creature which becomes more complex the more that it consumes.

Terror: Mimic: An asexual creature that reproduces via binary fission, the mimic primarily feeds on flesh and blood, crushing stone and other materials to make itself stronger. The smallest of mimics is known to frequently disguise itself as a coin or small insect, as they can morph to take on the features of what they consume, though not the intelligence of a sentient, but they are crafty tricksters that recognize both from observation and genetic memory how to get their food. If they do morph to look like a sentient, they will be not be able to exhibit the intelligence of one, though they may make sounds similar to them, much like a parrot will do. The stats listed below are for a mimic about to divide, though some may have lower stats at smaller sizes, or higher depending on their complex food intake. While they are patient but savage creatures, some sentient individuals or other creatures have been known to tame them or work a symbiotic relationship, using their trickery to their own ends.

HP: 40 / EP: 8 / LP: 1 / SP: 2 / FP: 10
Reaction: 12 / Finesse: 12 / Intelligence: 8
Wisdom: 3 / Willpower: 13 / Strength: 22
Speed: 2 (2 feet per second, 1 movement spaces per turn <10 ft x 10 ft per square>)

Elemental Strengths: Earth, Stone, Blood
Elemental Weaknesses: Fire, Ice, Bone

Common Drops: Dead Mimic

Bite IV (0 FP Each): 4 damage on success against armor-less targets.

Dig II (1 FP Each): Digs one-quarter its body height in a single turn.

Charge (2 FP Each): Moving at a character's current max speed + 1 (including any other temporary boosts), for a duration equal to four movement spaces.

Gnaw II (1 FP Each): Chew through most materials in a matter of minutes. Anything of less than 6 hardness can be chewed through, scaling from 5 hardness taking an hour per cubic foot downward to 1 hardness at 20 minutes per cubic foot.

Headbutt (0 FP Each): 4 damage on success against armor-less targets.

Morph IV (2 FP Each): The user morphs to a non-living form it sees, or has seen, or has absorbed, or one that it has sampled the blood of with 100% duplication, but not modification to prevent an obvious comparison revealing itself.

Run (1 FP Each): Moving at a character's current max speed for a duration equal to six movement spaces before further focus is needed.

Sneak III (1 FP Each): Crosses an area at two-thirds speed without making a sound in the process.

Stalk III (2 FP Each): Able to follow at one-third speed the scent or tracks of another character or creature without making a sound.

Swim (1 FP): Any species that lives in water as an aquatic or amphibious culture does not need to use focus to swim. Moves two-thirds its land speed while in water.

Walk (0 FP Each): Moving at half a character's current max speed, rounded up.

System Mechanics: Bardic and Tumbler Play Styles:

Since the Warlock was added to show the addition of Leech Magic to the system mechanics under the Caster character archetype, it seemed only fitting that an additional play style was shown for the Fighter and Strategist play styles.  MaL is still classless in limitations, but as some individuals like to have a structured template to start with, let's look at the Bard and Tumbler:

The Bard is a strategist that relies primarily on their sense of timing, bluff and manipulation to distract, boost teammates and allies or attack.  While they may learn some true magic to further their development, most of what they know is more stage magic, illusion through deception, utilizing an enemy's weaknesses against them.  They are also able to boost the morale of allies through their performance and tend to be charming and well liked by the general populous and as diplomats.  Due to how much they draw attention to themselves, they work great as a distraction against enemies while still being quite capable of fighting on their own, relying mostly on strategy than outright force.

The Tumbler is a fighter, an acrobatic character who is a martial artist or street fighter that is agile and able to strike quickly and rush to get out of range.  Unlike the Rogue they don't tend to concentrate on stealth so much as landing blows quickly and dodging what comes their way, preferring to use their body as both a weapon and a defense, rather than relying on heavy armor that limits their movement.  While they may focus on unarmed combat primarily, as they level up they tend to focus their development toward more precise strikes and adding effects to their attack based on where their blows land, or adding in weapons such as tonfa, or some forms of magic.

System Mechanics: Mutant Subspecies:

As there is a number of different mundane pollution possibilities, there exists the possibility of mutations in flora, fauna and even sentient species.  Some of these, such as the Mutrant and Mykros Spider, have already been covered.  However, further ones will be added as the system develops and even after it is ready for official release a GM may wish to have additional variants on existing lifeforms to have as mutant allies, obstacles or just world-building details.  There is a relatively easy way to show the difference between a mutant and non-mutated species in this simple pattern:

Individuals Name (if sentient): Mutant Species Name [Original Species Name]: /Description of mutation/ Other description.

Typically mutations have a low chance of being beneficial (18-20 on 1d20), high chance of being lethal to the mutant so that it either doesn't birth correctly or dies soon after (1-7 on 1d20), a moderate chance of being non-lethal but detrimental to the mutant (8-11 on 1d20), and a high chance of it being merely cosmetic (12-17 on 1d20).  Examples of cosmetic mutations include heterochromia in species that do not naturally have it, or different colored skin or fur than is within the natural range for the species.