Volkhvs: an order esoteric even to me
So, one of my players is interested in Slavic folklore and asked initially to play a druid in my Land of Legend campaign. When he learned that advancement was more diagetic he immediately asked where is a volkhv. That was the origin of a new type of Talent called Archetype talents. These are the closest thing to classes. They are a group of talents you pick from to help fulfill a particular character concept. For example, Minor Shapeshifting, Omen Seeing and Animal Speech would be abiltie that would fall in the Archetype of Volkhv. Now, once my volkhv player saw this he instantly asked me questions about how volkhvs are seen, any famous ones etc. He wrote what his character knew and the next day I had around a page of volkhv lore to play with, combining what he knew and what I knew.
From Wikipedia A Volkhv |
The big problem with researching volkhvs is that there's conflicting information. Some sources say they are demigods, some say they are similar to shamans using nature to do magic and some say they don't use magic at all. The volkhvs in my world are similar to druids in fantasy fiction and Merlin from Arthurian myth along with a few twists of my own.
Volhvs are a group of spellcasters found throughout the lands of legend. Generally respected for being the most stable form of spellcasting, although a few places like Sterara want to hunt and kill volkhvs. They are hundreds of myths about them, and only half of them are true. The main abilities are shapeshifting, fortune telling and healing. They are in groups of a swarm consisting of around a dozen members led by a grand volkhv. A person becomes a volkhv by doing two things: successfully train under a grand volkhv for at least 90 days and 90 nights. Then the soon to be volkhv swears a promise to the forces of magic promising that when they die, they will not join the River of Rebirth and instead become a part of the natural tapestry of life.
Mechanics
From New Line Cinema Omen Seeing in action |
Land of Legend Archetype: Volkhv
Minor Shapeshift
Requirements: Let a cold iron Artifact absorb a spell without an Arcane Mishap
You can transform into an animal smaller than you. You can stay transformed for a number of hours equal to the amount of talents you have. Your belongings, statistics and non-Volkhv talents will not carry with you into the new form. If your new form takes two wounds, it transforms you back to your mortal self.
Omen Seeing
Requirements: Find a Grand Volkhv and begin training
At the start of a session roll 2d6. you can save that result as an Omen and at any point swap the Omen with another roll. Once you expend the Omen, you have to wait until the next session to get a new Omen.
Beast Speech
Requirements: Swear the Promise of Finality
You can talk to any animal. It is up to the animal whether it likes you or not.
From Castle Grief itch.io |
Kal Arath Skill
Volkhv
You gain a Fate point every time you roll on the Death and Dismemberment table.
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