Casus Mus: Adventures of the Mouse

Swords and whiskers! Loyal mouse comrades, devious rat brigands, deadly hawks, fearsome cats.

The world of Casus Mus, Adventures of the Mouse, is d100 roleplaying the way it was meant to be: quick, fun, deadly, and most of all, whiskered.

Character Creation
Game System
Magic
The Mouse's World
The Hill

Casus Mus uses the Mythras Imperative RPG system as a base. Learn more about Mythras and Mythras Imperative.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Creating Characters

The Hill is Casus Mus' default setting. Read about the history, factions and lands of the Hill.

Character Creation Steps

1. Calculate Characteristics and Attributes
2. Choose Hero Advantages
3. Choose Skills, Culture, and Career
   
4. If desired, roll to see which old noble family of the Hill your character is descended from (if any)
5. Choose three Passions; one beneficial, one troublesome, one from the character's backstory

Here's a Google Sheets-based character sheet that you can make a copy of and fill out online.
Here's a minimal character sheet you can print.
Here's that same minimal character sheet, Google Slides-based, that you can make a copy of and fill out online.

Make up a name, or roll one randomly.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Stats: Characteristics and Attributes

Characteristics are "core" stats. Attributes are secondary stats, derived from Characteristics.

Calculate Characteristics

See Characteristic Definitions Below ↓

Roll 4d6 and discard the lowest die, five times
and assign the results to
  STR (Strength)
  CON (Constitution)
  DEX (Dexterity)
  POW (Power)
  CHA (Charisma

Roll 3d6+6 and discard the lowest die, twice
and assign the results to
  SIZ (Size)
  INT (Intelligence)

Calculate Attributes

See Attribute Definitions Below ↓

Use the sections below to calculate Attributes.

Action Points (AP)
Characters in Casus Mus have 2 Action Points unless they select an extra Action Point using Hero Advantages.

Damage Modifier

Experience Modifier

Healing Rate

See Wounds and Healing.

Hit Points
Hit Points in Casus Mus are a single pool, rather than using Hit Points per location.
Hit Points are calculated by averaging CON and SIZ, round up. See also Wounds and Healing.

Initiative Bonus
Initiative Bonus is the average of DEX and INT.

Luck Points

Magic Points
Starting Magic Points are equal to POW.

Movement Rate
Mice have a default Movement Rate of 6 meters (scaled down for the mouse world).

Characteristic Definitions

Strength (STR)

STR represents physical strength: how much one can lift, how hard one can hit, and so on. STR is a component of the Damage Modifier . If a character is reduced to zero STR they lack the ability to move or lift objects.

Constitution (CON)

CON is measure of health and hardiness. CON is a component in determining Hit Points and Healing Rate . If CON falls to zero for any reason the character dies.

Dexterity (DEX)

Agility, balance, and reflexes are measured by DEX. It is an important aspect of Action Points and Initiative . If a character is reduced to zero DEX they suffer functional paralysis.

Power (POW)

POW is a measurement of a character’s soul, spirit, inner drive, or capacity for magic. POW governs a character’s Magic Points and Luck Points . If a character’s POW ever drops to zero, they lose all independent will.

Charisma (CHA)

Charisma is a measure of presence and personality, and is independent of physical appearance. CHA affects a character’s Experience Modifier . If CHA ever falls to zero, the character can no longer socially interact with others, becoming so painfully shy or antisocial they are ignored or even driven away.

Size (SIZ)

SIZ measures mass, and helps indicate Height and Weight. SIZ is used to help figure Hit Points , as larger, heavier creatures tend to have greater endurance against damage. SIZ can also be used to determine a character’s Damage Modifier, since mass helps to increase the force of a blow.

Intelligence (INT)

INT is measurement of cognitive ability. Those with a lower INT score are not necessarily stupid, but they are likely to be constrained in how creatively they can employ their wits. INT is a factor in calculating Action Points and Initiative. If INT is reduced to zero the character becomes completely mindless.

Attribute Definitions

Action Points (AP)

How often a character can act in a Combat Round is determined by Action Points (AP). All characters have 2 AP (unless Hero Advantages are used to gain an extra AP).

Damage Modifier

Larger and stronger characters and creatures may gain additional damage in certain situations; conversely, weaker and smaller characters may reduce the damage they can inflict. The Damage Modifier is generally used in combat situations but can also be used when attempting to break objects. The Damage Modifier is an extra die roll which is either added to, or subtracted from, the damage inflicted by the weapon or tool. If a negative Damage Modifier takes a weapon’s damage to zero or below, then no damage at all has been inflicted.

Experience Modifier

Over the course of play characters improve their skills and capabilities. This is achieved using Experience Rolls. A character’s CHA score may adjust the number of Experience Rolls the character receives, reflecting the relationship they have with their peers and their reputation in the community. With a high CHA people are willing to put themselves out to help train or support the character while they undergo tuition. Conversely, with particularly low CHA, there may be some difficulty improving one’s capabilities without the assistance of others; finding someone to spar against for example.

Healing Rate

After receiving injuries, a character needs to recuperate. Healing Rate determines how quickly they naturally recover from wounds. Depending on the severity of the injury , the Healing Rate denotes how many Hit Points are recovered per day, week, or month.

Hit Points

Hit Points represent how much injury an area of the body can withstand before it becomes useless, possibly resulting in incapacitation and ultimately the character’s death.

Initiative Bonus

The moment at which someone reacts in combat is governed by Initiative. Initiative Bonus acts as a modifier to Initiative rolls; the higher the Initiative, the faster one responds in a combat situation, determining when you can act. Further factors – armor for example – modify it. Initiative Bonus is the average of the DEX and INT Characteristics.

Luck Points

Luck Points represent that strange force differentiating adventuring heroes from everyday folk. Call it fate, karma, or simple good fortune. Luck Points can be used to:
• Re-roll the dice, if they are unfavourable
• Mitigate physical damage or other unfortunate circumstances
• Gain an edge at a vital moment in combat

Once a Luck Point is spent, the pool decreases; when one is out of Luck Points, no more are available – unless the Game Runner makes an impromptu award – until the next game session when they replenish to their normal value.

Magic Points

Mystical abilities, powers and spells used in Casus Mus usually rely on Magic Points. For those who can use such powers, a character’s Magic Points are equal to their POW. These points are used to cast spells, the cost of which is dependent on the type of magic used. When casters run out of Magic Points they have exhausted their ability to cast any spells until Magic Points are replenished.

Movement Rate

Every creature has a Movement Rate – a number of meters that can be travelled during a specific period of time. Movement is not calculated from Characteristics but is a default value which differs from species to species. The base Movement Rate for mice is 6 meters.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Hero Advantages

Casus Mus characters are heroic. They're more powerful and skilled than normal folks - they're larger than life.

Choose two¹ from the following Hero Advantages:

• +1 Action Point
• +1 Luck Point
• +3 Hit Points
• Athletics rolls are one Grade easier
• Brawn rolls are one Grade easier
• Endurance rolls are one Grade easier
• Stealth rolls are one Grade Easier
• Willpower rolls are one Grade easier
• Roll on the Noble Family table

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Skills, Career, and Culture

Standard Skills
Standard skills are common; everyone knows how to do these things to some degree. They're still highly useful, but they do not require specialized training or education - everyone starts with base values for all Standard skills.

Professional Skills
Professional skills are more specialized, generally requiring training through a career or other background. Characters only have Professional skills that they choose during character creation, or are trained in during play.

Culture (where characters come from, their customs and social norms) and career (their professional training) may have an influence on which skills a Character has. Work with your Game Runner to choose a culture and career.

There are two ways to choose skills when creating a character in Casus Mus:

The Skill Pyramid (faster)
Skills can be chosen freestyle. A career may be used as a guideline for skills if desired.

Detailed Culture, Career, and Skill Allocation (good for developing a backstory)
Choice of skills is guided by the character's cultural and career.

Whichever method is used to choose skills, it is recommended that at least one Combat Style be chosen as part of the character's skills, and if a Character is a spell caster, one or more of the Magic skills should be chosen.

Culture and Careers on The Hill

Mice on the Central Hill are Civilized and tend to be Farmers, Crafters/Artisans, Soldiers (of the Central Hill Legion), Herders (of various insect flocks), or Bankers (Officials). There's some Scholars, Politicians, Physicians, and Merchants.

Mice on the Western Hill are Civilized and tend to be Hunters, Scouts, or Soldiers (of the Western Hill Legion, the Rangers). There's some Bounty Hunters, Merchants/Traders, and Brigands (Thief).

Mice on the Eastern Ridge are all members of the Church of the Great Hawk - they're Civilized, and most are Farmers or Crafters/Builders/Metalsmiths. Some are Priests of the Church, who are to be feared.

Not much is known of the Eastern Hill forests.

The Skill Pyramid

For convenience and rapid Character creation, use the Skill Pyramid method detailed here.

The Skill Pyramid divides 350 points into four levels of pre-chosen skill values:

It can be visualized as a pyramid:

    40 40
 30 30 30 30
20 20 20 20 20
10 10 10 10 10

16 individual skills are chosen, using the breakdown above.

• All points from the pyramid must be used
• Only one allocation should be used per skill
• Native Language and Customs receive +40% automatically; other allocations can be made as desired
• No Skill can be made to be over 80%
• Five of the allocations must go to Professional skills
• Career/culture can be chosen normally; players may use those sets of skills for allocation or choose freely
• Remember to calculate base values for each skill before you allocate points to it
• Remember to calculate base values for all Standard skills, whether you allocate points to them or not

See the tables below or the section on Skills for starting values.

Detailed Culture, Career, and Skill Allocation

The Skill point pool comes from three sources:

Culture
Characters grow up within a culture, and it shapes their development. Cultural lifestyles, religious practices, traditions, etc. lead to a commonly used set of skills. Culture provides training in both Standard and Professional skills.

Career
Career or profession is naturally a significant source of training or practice in skills. Career provides training in Professional skills, but also in those Standard skills that are relevant to a career.

Bonus
Every character gets a bonus pool of skill points that can be allocated across existing/already chosen skills. The idea is that a character isn't just where they come from and what their profession is; they also have interests and hobbies, and these lead to more Standard and Professional skills.

Detailed Skill Allocation Steps

1. Choose a Culture (On the Hill, you'll be Civilized). Distribute 100 Skill Points as described.
2. Choose a Career. Distribute 100 Skill Points as described.
3. Distribute 150 Skill Points across any skills that already have points allocated from the previous steps.

• No skill should be allocated points more than once per step
• No skill should be made to be over 80%
• Remember to calculate base values for each skill before you allocate points to it
• Remember to calculate base values for all Standard skills, whether you allocate points to them or not

See the tables below or the section on Skills for starting values.

Standard and Professional Skills

See Skills for detailed descriptions of skills.

Standard Skills

Professional Skills

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Cultures

Culture determines the kind of society in which the character was raised, and so prescribes certain outlooks and philosophies he or she might have. More practically, culture helps augment the values of the various skills that shape your character’s overall capabilities.

There are four basic cultures: Barbarian, Civilised, Nomadic and Primitive. Each cultural background lists a range of Standard skills appropriate to it and invites the player to pick up to three of the presented Professional skills; in this way players from the same cultural background can ensure that their adventurers are different in the areas they have developed.

Detailed Skill Allocation

1. Choose three Professional skills from the options listed below in the specific culture.
2. Distribute 100 Culture skill points amongst the culture’s listed Standard skills and whichever Professional skills were selected, increasing each skill by 1% for every point spent on improving it. Game Runners may wish to apply a cap to how many skill points can be applied to any particular skill.

Barbarian

Tribal in nature, barbarians tend to shun civilisation, viewing those who live in large towns and cities as weak and corrupt. Although their own settlements are also sedentary, they tend to be far smaller and closer to nature. Barbarian tribes occupy distinct territories, often half tamed wilderness, which they regard as their own for hunting, grazing, and farming purposes. Most are adept in the use of weaponry as they must overcome many dangers throughout their lives – facing creatures of the wilds, or mustering to defend their lands against rival tribes. Since they live in small communities the ties of kinship and clan are strong elements of their society.

Skills

Standard skills: Athletics, Brawn, Endurance, First Aid, Locale, Perception; and either Boating or Ride. In addition the player may also choose a cultural Combat Style.

Professional skills: Craft (any), Healing, Lore (any), Musicianship, Navigation, Seamanship, Survival, Track.

Civilised

The Civilised culture is epitomised by a semblance of law and order, underpinned by complex social codes and supported by a bureaucracy. Civilised people believe themselves superior to all other cultures because their achievements tend toward permanence: sprawling cities, imposing temples, celebratory monuments, and the recording of history and events in books, tomes and scrolls. Of course, this is a thin veneer. The most Civilised of cities can be more lawless than any Barbarian frontier settlement; and the social codes may be cruder than the hospitality rituals of nomads. But the Civilised culture prides itself on its achievements, its infrastructure, its professional artisans and its ability to easily extend its reach to wherever it wishes to go.

Skills

Standard skills: Conceal, Deceit, Drive, Influence, Insight, Locale, Willpower. In addition the player may also choose a cultural Combat Style.

Professional skills: Art (any), Commerce, Craft (any), Courtesy, Language (any), Lore (any), Musicianship, Streetwise.

Nomadic

Nomadic people are constantly on the move, with no home and hearth to call their own. They may wander aimlessly about or might have several camps they move to and from throughout the year. They raise few crops and instead follow the migrations of animals or fish, perhaps even herding their own domesticated beasts. Nomads are adept at subsisting on what they can quickly and easily scavenge from their surroundings, letting nothing go to waste. The skills of the nomad culture should be tailored to their environment. Some journey vast distances on foot, others live in caravans or ride strange creatures, and some drift. across the oceans on great floating rafts.

Skills

Standard skills: Endurance, First Aid, Locale, Perception, Stealth; and two of the following: Athletics, Boating, Swim, Drive or Ride depending on the primary mode of travel. In addition the player may also choose a cultural Combat Style.

Professional skills: Craft (any), Culture (any), Language (any), Lore (any), Musicianship, Navigation, Survival, Track.

Primitive

Of all peoples, primitives are those that live closest with the land, in tune with its hidden secrets. Living in extended family groups, primitive cultures gather around very simple dwellings that can range from caves and areas of natural shelter through to lean-tos or very basic huts. Primitives are typically hunter-gatherers with either few, or poorly developed, systems for farming and husbandry.

However, certain cultural beliefs, often based on superstitions, can be very well defined. Few primitive cultures have developed anything approaching a written language although paintings and other pictorial symbols serve as a means of communication.

Skills

Standard skills: Brawn, Endurance, Evade, Locale, Perception, Stealth; and one of either Athletics, Boating or Swim. In addition the player may also choose a cultural Combat Style. Professional skills: Craft (any), Healing, Lore (any), Musicianship, Navigation, Survival, Track.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Careers

Every character starts having been trained in a career. The occupation chosen may not necessarily be the one the character continues to follow as the character begins adventuring life, but it is the career embarked on as part of the transition to adulthood and it further defines skill development.

Each career presents a range of Standard skills appropriate to it and permits the player to pick up to three of the listed Professional skills.

Detailed Skill Allocation

Distribute 100 Career skill points amongst the career’s listed Standard skills and whichever Professional skills were selected, increasing each skill by 1% for every point spent on improving it. As with cultures a Game Runner may apply a cap to how many skill points can be applied to any particular skill.

Career List

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Passions

Passions are used to assist players and Game Runner in deepening the nature of the character, introducing plot hooks based on a character’s desire or prejudices, and helping the player to understand who their character is, what drives him, and so on.

A Passion can be for anything – a person, an organisation, an ideal, even an object. Passions are typically described by a verb such as: Desire, Despise, Destroy, Espouse, Fear, Flee, Foreswear, Hate, Love, Loyalty to, Protect, Repudiate, Respect, Seek, Subvert, Torment or Uphold.

Passions are measured in the same way as skills; they are rated between 1 and 100 (or higher). A Passion can be improved in the same way as a skill, or it can be increased or decreased by the referee depending on circumstances.

Beginning characters may start with up to three Passions, each based on two Characteristics, with a bonus of +40 to the first, +30 to the second and +20 to the third – the player deciding the order of importance. These can be tied to their culture, profession or personal foibles. For example, in a Sword & Sorcery campaign the character might take: Hate (Stygians), Distrust (Sorcerers), and Desire (Alcohol); whereas in a Dystopian Sci-Fi game the character might choose Loyalty (President), Destroy (Aliens) and Uphold (the Law) instead.

Passion Table

Using Passions

A Passion is any deeply held commitment that has the capacity to influence events during play. Although they can be used as stand-alone Abilities (to call them skills is to do them a disservice), Passions are further expanded below to explain in more detail how they work and how they can influence Mythras Imperative characters and campaigns. In summary, Passions can be used thus:

• To augment another skill, reflecting the depth of one’s feelings and how it drives action. When used in this regard, the Passion adds 20% of its value to a skill being used, as long as the augmentation is thematically and dramatically important.
• As an Ability in its own right to drive choices, desires and emotional actions and responses. When used in this way a Standard roll is made against a Passion to determine how strongly the character thinks and feels about something. If a roll is a Success, then the character acts in line with what the Passion would dictate. If the roll Fails, then the character can act freely without feeling constrained by the Passion’s drives.
• To oppose other Passions – even those held by the same character. This is typically used where two Passions would conflict. For instance, a personal love might dictate a course of action that would be contrary to an Oath or loyalty. Here use an Opposed Roll between the two Passions, with the more successful determining how the character acts.
• To resist some form of psychological manipulation or magical domination. In certain cases where a character is being forced into performing an act contrary to their Passions, they may substitute either for Willpower in the Opposed Roll.

New Passions can be developed at any point during a game session if the circumstances warrant it. One might instantly develop ‘Hate X’ where someone else does something that would strongly invoke hatred to arise. A lord or chief calling for an Oath would immediately establish a Passion of ‘Loyalty to X’ as soon as that Oath is taken or sworn.

New Passions developed during play in this way cost no Experience Rolls and are established there and then. Of course, characters can also choose to establish a Passion during improvement, at the cost of an Experience Roll to gain a Passion at its Base Value.

Deepening and Waning

Passions can increase during a game independently of Experience Rolls, based on the strength of whatever occurred to trigger the increase. Also, they can, and do, wane. A strongly held belief can be shaken by many things, leading to that Passion being either reduced or, in more extreme circumstances, reversed completely.

For instance, a character with ‘Trust Chieftain’ might, if their chieftain acts treacherously, either reduce their Passion or turn into ‘Distrust Chieftain’ at the same percentage. The Game Runner needs to determine whether a Passion reduces or reverses. If it reduces, then it does so according to the strength of the source of the change.

The Deepening and Waning table shows by how much the Passion changes.

Deepening and Waning Table

Random Passions

Passion Types

Passion Subjects

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Game System

Skills
Combat
Armor and Weapons
Wounds and Healing
Misc. Game System Rules

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Skills

How Skills Work
Criticals and Fumbles
Automatic Successes
Modifying Skills
Opposed and Differential Rolls
Standard Skills
Professional Skills

How Skills Work

A skill has a Base Value built on two Characteristics, or on one Characteristic multiplied by two. There is no upper limit to a skill’s value; it can exceed 100 and, in play, characters can expect to see their skills reach such heights.

Whenever a character is called upon to resolve some form of test, challenge, or professional ability, 1d100 is rolled and compared with the skill’s value:

Equal to, or less than, the skill indicates a Success

Greater than the skill’s value indicates a Failure

There are certain special cases concerning Success and Failure that should be noted:

Any roll of 01-05 is always a Success.

Any roll of 96-00 is always a Failure, irrespective of how high the skill’s value.

Criticals and Fumbles

A Critical Success is equal to one-tenth of the skill’s value (and this includes skills that receive a modifier – so modified skills may have a greater or lesser chance of a Critical outcome).

A Fumble is a roll of 99 or 00. Skills with a value of 100% or more Fumble only on a roll of 00.

Round fractions up when calculating a Critical Success’s range. For example, if a skill is modified to twice its normal value – from 33% to 66% say, then its Critical range would be a roll of 07 or less.

The precise nature of a Critical or Fumble result is left to the Game Runner to determine. The consequences could be wondrous or dire, depending on the circumstances.

Automatic Successes

There will be some occasions where a roll against a particular skill is just not necessary – either because the task at hand is easily accomplished, or because, with enough time and focus, success is guaranteed.

Riding a horse at a gentle canter across an open meadow is an example of an Automatic Success where simply being skilled in the activity means that straightforward actions do not require any skill rolls to resolve them. A crafter carving a piece of wood into a chair leg is another example where a skill roll is not necessary; it takes time to accomplish, but the craftsman knows how to do the work and, if not rushing, success is assured. A rogue, undisturbed, with a set of lockpicks, can successfully pick the simple lock of a treasure chest given enough time to do so.

Modifying Skills

There are some occasions where a skill roll is required, but the chances of success need to be adjusted to reflect existing conditions. Fleeing bandits, for instance, might require an Athletics roll. But what if the character is fleeing through darkness or through treacherous undergrowth? In such a case the Game Runner can insist on modifying the skill of the character to reflect the circumstances.

Casus Mus uses a series of grades to determine how a skill is modified. These are as follows. Note that two types of modifiers are provided: the first is the default method, and involves a little math, but offers better simulation for scaling, especially where higher skill percentages are concerned. The Simplified Skill Modifier is a simple addition or subtraction, and easier to implement. Choose which method best fits the game but ensure that the same modification system is applied consistently.

Where a character is already suffering a penalty from other circumstances, the hardest Difficulty Grade takes precedence.

Outside of combat, Casus Mus does not provide a definitive list of situations and challenges which can incur skill modifications. What sort of modification is required for any particular skill or context is ultimately up to the Game Runner to decide; according to the capabilities of the characters, their perception of the difficulty of the situation and the dramatic tension at that particular moment.

Opposed and Differential Rolls

Although the basic rules for using skills are very straightforward, there are a multitude of different circumstances that arise during play that require skills to be handled in a slightly different way. The following sections look at these circumstances and situations and show how to handle them.

Opposed Rolls

Skills are frequently pitted against other skills – Stealth versus Perception when a rogue attempts to cut a nobleman’s purse, say; or Deceit versus Insight when the same rogue tries to deny the attempt when she is caught – are good examples of times where skills are matched against each other. These are known as Opposed Rolls and are used where a challenge will result in either win or lose, pass or fail.

An Opposed Roll is determined thus: both participants roll their respective skills. The winner is the one who gains the better level of success. If the participants score the same level of success (a Standard Success each, or a Critical each), then the winner is the one who has the highest dice roll still within the success range of the skill.

Opposed Rolls are frequently used in certain battle situations to overcome the effects of wounds or oppose a combat Combat Maneuvers. They are also used to resist poisons and disease or shrug off the effects of baleful magic.

Opposed Roll Examples

Differential Rolls

Differential Rolls are similar to Opposed Rolls except that instead of a simple win or lose result, the difference in levels of success are calculated. Primarily used for the resolution of combat, Differential Rolls can also be used in other situations where the Game Runner wishes to increase the detailed results of a contest.

Both participants roll against their respective skills. If both participants score the same level of success (a Standard success each, or a Critical each), then there is no other/additional effect.

Compare results on the following table. In combat, a level of success means that participant can choose a Combat Maneuver.

Differential Rolls - Levels of Success

Standard Skills

Athletics (STR+DEX)

Athletics covers a range of physical activities, including climbing, jumping, throwing, and running. Skills rolls for any of these activities are handled by a single roll against the Athletics skill. See Movement in the Game System section for more information on climbing, jumping, and running.

Boating (STR+CON)

The Boating skill covers the operation of small floating craft. on rivers, lakes, and close inshore. Appropriate vessels are generally boats, canoes, or rafts which travel short distances and are unsuited to the rigours of the open sea. Most are propelled using oars, paddles, punts or simple sails; or can even be towed by animals. Ships with large crews or designed for long, overseas journeys are covered under the Seamanship Professional Skill.

Brawn (STR+SIZ)

Brawn is the efficient application of technique when applying raw physical force. The skill covers acts of applied might, including lifting, breaking down doors and contests of strength.

Combat Style (STR+DEX)

Each Combat Style is the skill to use the weapons expected of a career or culture in the setting. Most fighting traditions encompass training in multiple weapons, along with the techniques required to use them all effectively, whether singly or in combination. In addition they often assume a situational element, such as fighting as close order infantry or while mounted. Combat Styles can be very diverse, ranging from, for example, Gladiatorial Combat all the way to Space Marine Mobile Infantry.

Conceal (DEX+POW)

Conceal is the counterpoint to Stealth, being the concealment of large objects rather than the character themselves. For instance, conceal could be used to hide a chariot behind some rocks, or sweep away the wheel ruts it left so its path cannot be tracked. The skill is versatile in application, anything from hiding a scroll in a library to disguising the presence of a trap or secret passage.

Customs (INT x2+40)

Customs represents the character’s knowledge of their own community: its social codes, rites, rituals, taboos, and so on. The skill is used when it is essential to accurately interpret or perform any socially important custom or to behave in a particular way.

Dance (DEX+CHA)

Just about every culture uses dance in some way – either as recreation or as part of important rituals. It might be a court dance, a war dance, or a simple set of movements accompanying a prayer or ceremonial chant. The Dance skill measures a character’s ability to move rhythmically and accurately (to a reasonable degree) when called upon to do so.

Deceit (INT+CHA)

Deceit covers all instances where a character attempts to mask the truth and offer a deception of some kind: barefaced lying, misleading a guard, or even bluffing (or cheating) during a card game. The skill also covers instances where hiding true emotions or motives is necessary (feigning pleasure when one is bitterly disappointed perhaps, or attempting to seem welcoming and open when the opposite is true). Deceit forms a counterpart to the Insight skill and can be used to oppose Insight rolls when others are attempting to discern either truth or motive.

Drive (DEX+POW)

Drive covers the control of wheeled or drawn vehicles, whether by one or more beasts of burden or powered by more esoteric means, such as chariots, sleds, sail carts, or even gasoline cars. A roll is also necessary if the vehicle being driven is drawn or powered by a means different than the driver is used to (horses instead of oxen, or a motor rather than animals for example).

Endurance (CON x2)

Endurance is a character’s capacity to endure physical stress, pain, and fatigue. It measures the body’s ability to deal with potentially damaging or debilitating conditions and is a general gauge of resilience, stamina, and metabolism. Endurance, like its counterpart Willpower, is used in any number of ways, but most specifically to resist the possible effects of injuries, including harmful poisons and disease.

Evade (DEX x2)

Evade is used to escape from observed, impending danger and can be used against Ranged Weapons (by diving for cover, for example), avoiding traps, changing the engagement distance in combat, and generally getting out of the way of a potential physical hazard. It can also be used as a resistance roll for certain types of magic. Using Evade usually leaves the character prone. Those with the Daredevil Combat Style Trait may use Evade to dodge a melee attack without falling prone and, against a ranged attack, they only end up prone if they fail the roll.

First Aid (DEX+INT)

The skill of First Aid measures a character’s ability to treat minor injuries and stabilise more severe ones. First Aid may be applied only once per specific injury and heals 1d3 points of damage.

Influence (CHA x2)

This is a measurement of a character’s ability to persuade others, through personal charisma, into a desired way of behaving. It is used in a wide variety of situations; from changing someone’s mind, to bribing an official or guard. Influence rolls are typically opposed by the Perception, Willpower, or another Influence skill, depending on the circumstances, and are modified by how much a character is trying to influence behaviour. Attempting to persuade a close friend to loan you their horse may be relatively easy. Getting a usually incorruptible bureaucrat to accept a bribe is more difficult.

Insight (INT+POW)

Insight is the ability to read or intuitively define another’s verbal and non-verbal behaviour (such as body language or the manner of speech) to establish their motives and state of mind. Insight is used to determine whether someone is telling a lie (and it can be opposed by the other person’s Deceit skill), or to predict how someone feels about a particular situation. Insight can equally be applied to particular situations as well as other people: is that tavern a haven for trouble? Could the bandits be planning an ambush in the nearby hills?

Locale (INT x2)

Locale measures a character’s understanding of local flora, fauna, terrain, and weather in the area where he or she has spent much of their life, usually within their community. The character knows the common plants, trees, and animals, their properties and behaviour: where the best fish can be found; the movements of game creatures; where to find shelter; the likely weather for the season, and the most common regional dangers. In neighbouring, yet unfamiliar locations Locale should be made one or more grades harder.

Native Tongue (INT+CHA+40)

Native Tongue is the ability to speak and read one’s own language, the one learned while growing up in one’s home culture. Native Tongue measures articulation, eloquence, and the depth of the speaker’s vocabulary. Unlike other skills, Native Tongue is not rolled against directly. Instead, it is treated as a static representation of overall fluency, limiting the level of conversational interaction. This is described in more detail under the Language skill, but starting characters usually begin play fully fluent in their mother tongue.

Perception (INT+POW)

Perception is used for both passive observation and focused detection; whether hunting for something specific, a general scan of an area, or simple awareness of their surroundings. Specific conditions – darkness, for example – may affect the Difficulty Grade of the skill roll depending on the primary senses being used. Strong scents might make an olfactory Perception roll Easy rather than Standard, whereas trying to eavesdrop on a conversation in a crowded and noisy tavern would make the roll Hard.

Ride (DEX+POW)

Ride covers the ability to control and remain mounted on those creatures that are trained to be ridden. The skill can be applied to a diverse range of beasts, everything from mules to elephants; even flying or swimming creatures such as giant eagles or dolphins. Riding an unfamiliar species is always one Difficulty Grade harder; while riding a species of a different medium (a horseman riding a dragon, for example) is two grades harder. Wild, untamed creatures cannot be ridden in a constructive manner until they have been broken and trained to be riding beasts.

Sing (POW+CHA)

Carrying a tune is covered by Sing, anything from monotonous chants through to complex arias. Singing is an inherent part of most cultures, a prime source of entertainment and perhaps used in its rituals. Important songs might be used for courting, inspiring soldiers before battle, or simply recounting a historical deed. The skill reflects the user’s ability to maintain rhythm, keep in key and remember the correct words.

Stealth (DEX+INT)

Hiding out of plain sight, or moving with minimal sound are covered by the Stealth skill. Cover and conditions, such as darkness or loud background noise, improve the grade of the skill according to the specifics of the environment. Similarly, adverse conditions, such as a lack of cover or a quiet night will decrease the skill’s grade. Circumstances also affect the difficulty of the attempt. For instance, a warrior wearing heavy armor can easily conceal themselves behind a wall, provided they stand still or move very slowly, whereas moving quickly might cause their armor to jingle.

Swim (STR+CON)

Without development, the ability to swim is limited to being able to thrash around and keep one’s head above the water for a short time. Higher Swim percentages indicate being able to negotiate deeper and stronger waters, with less risk of drowning. Making a Swim roll thus depends entirely on the conditions. Rough seas, strong currents, white water, and rip tides all reduce the grade of the skill no matter what the character’s affinity for water might be. See Movement for more information on swimming, including calculating swim speeds.

Unarmed (STR+DEX)

Unarmed is a universal Combat Style common to all characters, measuring the ability to defend oneself without the aid of weapons. The Unarmed skill covers the brawling and wrestling techniques known by that culture. As Unarmed is a Combat skill, its Critical and Fumble effects are covered by the rules for combat, as detailed in the Combat chapter.

Willpower (POW x2)

Willpower is a measure of a character’s ability to concentrate, channel their force of will in a particular direction, or harden their psyche to possible mental shock. It is also a measure of personal resolve. The skill is used in all manner of situations where mental resilience is required, and this includes resisting magic. Although not a measure of sanity it can be used to endure traumatic events that would shake even the sanest, stable mind. Willpower is the mental counterpart to Endurance. Again, like Endurance and Evade, Willpower is most often used in Opposed Rolls. When used as a Standard test, a Critical Willpower roll indicates that the character has hardened their mind and spirit to the extent that no further attempts to influence him, or shake their resolve, will work. In the case of resisting magic, a Critical Success means that no further mentally afflicting spells cast by the opponent have any effect on the character for the remainder of that encounter.

Professional Skills

Professional Skills differ between characters and represent more specialised forms of training and experience. Some Professional Skills are gathered through cultural background and a character’s Career, as the name suggests. Although they differ between characters they work in the same way as Standard Skills.

Acting (CHA x2)

Acting governs the art of being able to impersonate and convey a completely different character, whether in a staged performance or in a social situation. The actor portrays a personality and mannerisms different to their own in a convincing manner. Coupled with the Disguise and Deceit skills, this is a powerful way of becoming someone else entirely.

Acrobatics (STR+DEX)

Acrobatics covers acts of balance, gymnastics, juggling, and tumbling. The skill can be used to impress an audience, but also to help mitigate damage from falls. With a successful roll, a character can move at full speed and sure-footedly across an unstable or narrow surface. If trying to mitigate damage from an unexpected fall, a successful Acrobatics roll halves any damage sustained. In addition, if the roll is successful and the character does not suffer a Serious or Major Wound due to the fall, the character lands relatively safely and is not prone. Acrobatics can be substituted for Evade if the situation warrants it. The benefit of this is that the character automatically regains their footing rather than being rendered prone.

Art (POW+CHA)

There are many specific art forms. Painting to Poetry; Literature to Sculpture. A character chooses an Art specialisation when taking this skill. Subsequent Art forms are advanced separately. A roll is made whenever a character must impress or convince through their artistic medium.

Binding (POW+CHA)

The Binding skill is used for Binding Hedge Magic spells into objects, and is described in the Binding chapter.

Bureaucracy (INT x2)

Understanding administrative procedures, records, and unspoken conventions are covered by the Bureaucracy skill. It is used to interact with officials or discover pertinent civic information. Depending on the sophistication of their culture, bureaucrats need not necessarily be literate. Whenever red-tape or administrative landscapes need to be navigated, a Bureaucracy roll is necessary.

Commerce (INT+CHA)

Commerce is used to evaluate the worth of goods and commodities and to trade them for the best possible price. It is also used to understand the intricacies of business transactions in addition to securing a profit. A further use is in finding the best way to dispose of stolen and illicit goods – again for the best possible price. Commerce is obviously used when trading and it can be opposed by either an opponent’s Commerce skill or Willpower, reflecting the opposing side’s attempts to further the deal in their favour. It is also used to judge the market value of goods, gaining an idea of price, and where it will be best traded.

Courtesy (INT+CHA)

This skill covers understanding how to act appropriately in a social or formal situation: modes of address, rituals, and conventions of behavior, and so forth. It includes everything from who to bow to and when, to how low; from when to use a particular title to when it is appropriate to act informally.

Craft (DEX+INT)

Each Craft is a specialised form, and there are as many crafts as there are professions for them. Like Art, Craft is used to create the subject item. How long it takes depends entirely on the nature of the product: weaving a rug takes longer than throwing a pot, for instance, but time is not necessarily the most important factor: it is the skill of the crafter, the quality of the resources and attention to detail.

Culture (INT x2)

Culture is the more specific form of the Standard Skill of Customs, relating instead to societies foreign to the character’s own. Each Culture skill must be given a particular nation or society to which it applies. Mechanically it works in the same way as the Customs skill.

Disguise (INT+CHA)

Effecting a convincing disguise, using appropriate materials (costumes, cosmetics, wigs, or hairpieces), is covered by the Disguise skill. Creating the disguise requires time and attention to detail, as well as access to the right materials to make it convincing. If some, or all, of these elements are not present then the Disguise roll’s Difficulty Grade is made one or more steps harder. Disguise can be augmented with Acting to enhance the overall effect of a deception (vice versa when performing) and so the two skills are complementary.

Engineering (INT x2)

The design and building of large-scale structures, from houses to bridges, gates to siege engines, is in the remit of the Engineering skill. Rolls are necessary when planning large-scale projects to ensure correct construction but are also made when an engineer wants to assess a structure’s integrity for whatever reason (state of repair or weak spots, for example).

Forgery (DEX+INT)

The Forgery skill permits the creation or falsification of official documentation.

Gambling (INT+POW)

The Gambling skill measures a character’s competence in games of chance and especially where money is staked on the outcome. It is used to assess the odds of success or failure or spot when someone is cheating. The skill can be used in an opposed or unopposed manner, depending on the situation. Spending the night in a faceless gambling den might only require a straight test, whereas a high stakes dice game involving notable personages may instead require several Rounds of Opposed Rolls.

Healing (INT+POW)

Healing is the in-depth knowledge of medical procedures, based on cultural practices and is used to treat more serious injuries (typically those where Hit Points are at zero or less). In a Primitive or Barbarian culture for instance, healing will be based on the knowledge of herbs and natural cures. In a Civilised culture, drugs and more advanced treatments will be more common. In all cultures Healing includes the ability to set bones, suture wounds, and so forth. Obviously applying Healing requires appropriate resources, and most practicing healers will have such things at hand (needles, gut or thread for sutures, herbs for poultices, and so forth, or a medical kit for modern settings).

Hedge Magic (POW+CHA)

The Hedge Magic skill is used for casting the spells described in the Hedge Magic chapter.

High Magic (POW+CHA)

The High Magic skill is used for casting the spells described in the High Magic chapter.

Language (INT+CHA)

This skill covers the speaking and comprehension of a language other than the character’s own. The skill is treated as a static representation of overall fluency. 1-25% a few basic words, 26-50% simple sentences, 51-75% fluent for general conversation, 76+% able to converse eloquently. Its value is used by the Game Runner to limit the level of spoken interaction when the players converse with personalities in the game. It can also be used as a cap for certain other skills (such as Bureaucracy), where Language may be a limiting factor. In such a case, a skill like Bureaucracy cannot exceed the skill value of the Language being used.

Literacy (Specific Language) (INT x2)

Speaking a language fluently does not mean one can read and write it. Literacy is a specific skill and different societies display different levels and approaches towards it. In some, literacy is reserved for the nobility, bureaucratic or religious classes. In others it is unknown with oral traditions prevailing instead. In modern or futuristic societies literacy is learned by default and does not require a separate skill.

Lockpicking (DEX x2)

Lockpicking is the ability to open a mechanical locking system without the aid of a key or other device made specifically for the lock. It includes the techniques of levering open bolted or barred doors and windows without causing damage. Lockpicking may also be used to lock a door, chest, and so on, when no key is available.

Lore (INT x2)

Lore covers a specific body of knowledge which must be chosen when the skill is first learned. Alchemy, Astrology, Astronomy, Geography, Heraldry, History, Midwifery, Mineral, Monsters, Politics, Religion, Strategy and Tactics: these are all typical examples of Lore skills. Skill in a Lore means the character understands its fundamentals, how it can be applied to immediate challenges and problems, and can use the Lore to recall useful information.

Mechanisms (DEX+INT)

Mechanisms represents the knowledge and skill to assemble and disassemble mechanical devices, such as traps. The skill of Mechanisms generally involves the creation of delicate contraptions with small working parts, as opposed to Engineering, which deals with massive constructions. It is a distinct discipline from Lockpicking and cannot be interchanged with that skill.

Musicianship (DEX+CHA)

Musicianship covers the playing of musical instruments; from a simple reed pipe to a complex stringed instrument such as a harp, and each iteration of Musicianship is applied to a group of similar instruments. A musician who can play a reed pipe can also play a flute, panpipes, or a recorder because the fundamentals are the same. They could not, however, play a harp or lute.

Navigation (INT+POW)

Whether using prominent landmarks, the stars, or the varying taste of seawater, the ability to accurately direct travel is covered by the Navigation skill. Each Navigation skill covers a specific region or environment, such as Open Seas or Underground for example. It should be made during unusual journeys or when in completely unfamiliar territory.

Oratory (POW+CHA)

Oratory is the art of delivering a speech to a large group of people with the aim of conveying or swaying a point of view. It is a skill frequently used by politicians to drive home a policy, but is also used by commanders to inspire troops and impose discipline on the battlefield. Wherever mass persuasion is needed, Oratory, rather than Influence, is used.

Pilot (DEX+INT)

The Pilot skill permits the control of a specified class (such as gliders, prop-driven planes, jet engines, and so on) of flying vehicles.

Politics (INT+CHA)

Characters possessing the Politics skill understand how to navigate and negotiate the corridors of government at local and national levels.

Research (INT+POW)

Research uses various resources (such as a library, archive, and so on), to discover desired pieces of information.

Seamanship (INT+CON)

This skill is used in the same way as Boating but is instead applied to large waterborne vessels powered by sail or banks of oars. It also covers the maintenance and upkeep of a ship: assessing when repairs are needed, where it is safe to anchor, the dangers of violent weather, and so forth.

Seduction (INT+CHA)

Seduction is the romantic or sexual persuasion of another person, a skill very different to Influence. It uses explicit signals – verbal and non-verbal – to elicit a sexually positive response. It also takes a significant amount of time: successful Seduction may take hours, days, or weeks to achieve depending on the morals of the target, who can always attempt to resist Seduction with Willpower.

Sleight (DEX+CHA)

Sleight covers attempts to palm or conceal small objects (legerdemain and prestidigitation) and includes attempts to pick pockets, cut purses, or cause a visual distraction. Naturally, it is an essential thieves’ skill.

Streetwise (POW+CHA)

Streetwise represents knowledge of places and social contacts within a settlement. It covers everything from identifying potentially dangerous neighbourhoods, to finding local services – legal or illegal. How long a Streetwise attempt takes depends on what is sought. Finding a good inn will take less time than locating a fence for stolen goods or a fake trading permit.

Survival (CON+POW)

This skill covers surviving in a rural or wilderness environment where the benefits of civilisation are absent: foraging, building a fire, finding shelter or a safe place to sleep. When properly equipped, rolls are usually unnecessary since the character may be carrying a tent, food supplies, and so on. Only when separated from their equipment or when environmental conditions turn bad does it become essential to use this skill. A roll is usually made once per day in such conditions.

Teach (INT+CHA)

Teach allows the user to pass on their knowledge and techniques in an easy to understand and constructive manner. Without this skill even the most capable of masters will suffer problems instructing others.

Track (INT+CON)

The Track skill is used for tracking any form of game or quarry. It uses both obvious and ambiguous signs of passing to remain on the quarry’s trail, including footprints, bruised leaves, scattered pollen, displaced rocks, and so on; small, tell-tale signs that are invisible to the non-skilled. Track rolls need to be made periodically, especially if conditions change abruptly (a rain shower, for example, will disturb certain signs). How often depends on how cunning the quarry has been. Conceal rolls can be used to oppose a Track roll.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Combat

Combat Styles and Traits
Combat Rounds, Action Points, Initiative, and Turns
   Action Points
   Initiative
   Turns
Combat Actions
   Proactive Combat Actions
   Reactive Combat Actions
   Free Combat Actions
Movement in Combat
General Combat Rules
Close Combat Rules
Ranged Combat Rules

Combat is usually an important feature of roleplaying games. Nevertheless, combat need not be a savage battle to the death. Some combat encounters can be swashbuckling duels which end without injury, or perhaps light-hearted bar room brawls. Casus Mus uses several terms to explain the core elements of combat. These are explained in the following sections:

Combat Style
The skill of wielding a group of weapons learned as part of a culture or profession.

Combat Rounds
Bookkeeping time segments of five seconds each.

Combat Actions
Possible acts a character can perform during a Round by the expenditure of an Action Point.

Weapon Size
How difficult it is to parry a particular weapon.

Engagement
When combatants can hit or be hit by a direct opponent, depending on circumstances.

Combat Maneuvers
Maneuvers which can be performed if one combatant gains the upper hand. See Combat Maneuvers.

Combat Styles

A Combat Style represents a ‘package’ of multiple weapons related by their nature, which avoids the necessity of learning each individual weapon separately.

The most important aspect of Combat Skill is that the character learns how to use each weapon in the skill, both singly and in combination so that they might be interchanged, as necessary. Combat training does not focus merely on using a specific weapon or weapons under best conditions, but also covers what to do when placed at a severe disadvantage. Such cross-training is a primary part of preparing a combatant for the unpredictable events of the battlefield, where weapon breakage or becoming disarmed is always a potential possibility.

Thus a Hyberborean barbarian may be expected to know how to use a spear, hand axe, javelin and shield; whereas a Summerian warrior may be trained in shortsword, mace, shield and bow instead. Deciding how many weapons should be included into a single style is ultimately a choice determined by the Game Runner and the setting of the game.

Characters who attempt to use a weapon not covered by their style should suffer a skill penalty of one or more difficulty grades.

Combat styles possess another function beyond simply learning a group of weapon skills. Since each style is taught by a particular culture or career, they are inherently optimised for the environment or military tactics that group normally fights with; for instance a horse nomad learns to fight from the saddle, or an infantryman trains to fight in close order formation.

See Casus Mus Combat Styles; see Online Resources for an encyclopedic list of Combat Styles and Combat Style Traits.

Combat Style Traits

Due to the training involved in Combat Styles, some Combat Styles have one or more Combat Style Traits, which grant the Combat Style an advantage under certain circumstances. Combat Style Traits are only intended to be used with the weapons and situations of that particular Combat Style.

Combat Rounds, Turns, Initiative, and Action Points

Combat Rounds are bookkeeping time segments, each 5 seconds.

Action Points

Action Points determine how many Proactive Actions or Reactive Actions a character can take in a single Round.

How often a character can act per Round is limited by their available Action Points. These are spent over the course of each Combat Round to perform various Combat Actions.

Once a combatant’s Action Points are expended, they may no longer act for the remainder of that Round and must wait until their points reset at the beginning of the next.

Unless otherwise specified, any Combat Action (save for "Free" Actions) costs one Action Point. Thus, combatants need to carefully consider how and when they use their Action Points. They may act as aggressively or defensively as they wish, dynamically reacting to the evolving circumstance of the combat.

Unused Action Points do not carry over from one Round to the next.

Inititive

The order of who acts when during a Turn of a Combat Round. The Game Runner counts down through Initiative values from the highest to the lowest, so that each participant has a chance to take their Turn when their number is reached.

Initiative determines participants’ order of actions in a Combat Round. It is rolled at the start of a fight and determines when each character acts. Unless something occurs to change the situation, such as certain Combat Actions or Combat Maneuvers, Initiative remains in play until it is forced to be re-rolled.

Initiative is calculated by each participant rolling 1d10 and adding their Initiative Modifier. Whoever gained the highest result acts first, followed by the second highest and so on. When two or more participants tie scores, the one with the higher DEX will act first. If this still results in a tie, have each roll a die with high roll going before the other, until one succeeds.

Turns

During each 5 second Combat Round, each participant has an opportunity to take one or more Turns, dependent on the number of Action Points they possess, and how they use them.

Upon their Turn, participants perform one Combat Action, which comprises of a declaration, possible movement, any necessary dice rolls (including Reactions), and the resolution of the Action.

If any participant has Action Points remaining, the players may each take another Turn in Initiative order. Once no Action Points remain, or any remaining are being held back for Reactions, play proceeds to the next Combat Round.

Combat Actions

Combat Actions are those acts which can be performed during battle. Drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or diving clear from an attack are all examples of Combat Actions. Most are concerned with elements of combat itself, but some relate to activities outside the realm of spells and weapons.

Proactive Actions can only be attempted on the character’s own Turn; that is to say, during their Initiative. Proactive Actions are those in which the character is the instigator, such as making an attack with a weapon.

Reactive Actions are those taken by a character to counter or resist an act made against them. Only one reaction attempt is permitted for each threat; an example would be trying to parry an attack.

Proactive Combat Actions

The following are activities a character can attempt on their Turn by spending an Action Point. Note that some Actions such as spell casting or reloading may take several Turns to complete, each Turn costing its own Action Point.

Attack
The character can attempt to strike with a hand-to-hand weapon or use a Ranged Weapon.

Brace
The character braces by taking a firm stance and leaning into the direction of a forthcoming attack. For the purposes of resisting Knockback or Leaping Attacks, the character’s SIZ is treated as 50% bigger. Against the Bash Combat Maneuver, SIZ is doubled.

Cast Magic
The character can attempt to cast a spell, invoke certain powers, and so on. Complex magics may require several Actions to complete the casting. Once concluded, the magic can be released at any moment up until the caster’s next Turn – at which point it can be held for later effect, but this requires the Hold Magic/Power Action (see below) to maintain it in preparation for later release.

Change Range
The character can attempt to close in on or retreat from an opponent, as long as they are not engaged in hand to hand combat with the opponent, or being pinned-down by enemy fire in ranged combat situation.

Charge
The Charge Action allows a character to move into engagement range at running or sprinting speed, using the momentum of the charge to make a more forceful melee attack.

Delay
The character conserves one or more Actions in order to perform Reactive Actions later, such as Interrupt or Parry. The Action Point costs of delaying is covered by whatever acts are finally performed. If the delayed Actions are not taken before the character’s Turn in the next Round, then the character is considered to have Dithered (see below) and the Action Points are lost.

Dither
The default option unless another Action is chosen, the character simply wastes their turn doing nothing useful.

Hold Magic
Once casting is complete, the character may hold a spell in temporary check, awaiting the best moment to release it. The magic may be held back for as long as the character continues to take this Action on subsequent Turns, but this allows free use of the Counter Spell reaction by an enemy if pertinent to the spell. The actual skill roll to cast the held spell is not made until it is cast.

Mount
The character can mount or dismount a riding beast or vehicle. Particularly large mounts may require several Turns to complete.

Move
Provided one is not engaged with an opponent, the character can move any distance the Game Runner deems suitable for the situation.

Outmaneuver
The character can engage multiple opponents in a group Opposed Roll of Evade skills. Those who fail to beat their roll cannot attack him in that Combat Round. See the section on Outmaneuvering.

Ready Weapon
The character may retrieve, draw, sheath, withdraw, or reload a weapon or other object. Retrieving a nearby dropped object requires 2 Actions: one to move and reach down for the object and a second to return to a readied stance. Some missile weapons require several Actions to reload.

Regain Footing
If unengaged with an opponent, the character can automatically regain their footing from being tripped or knocked down. If Engaged, the character must win an Opposed Roll of Brawn or Athletics with the opponent before standing. This contest does not cost the opponent any Action Points to resolve.

Sneak Peek
Sneak Peek allows somebody currently sheltering behind cover to take a quick look-see to judge what the tactical situation is. The action is ostensibly safe, permitting the observer a single Perception roll before ducking back into cover. If the Perception test is a fumble however, they foolishly overextend their head or remain in sight long enough for an enemy to make a ranged attack.

Struggle
If the character is the victim of certain types of attack or Combat Maneuvers, they may attempt to extract themself from the situation. For example, breaking free from an enemy’s Grip.

Take Cover
Take Cover is a proactive action which allows a shooter to duck behind whatever cover is available in their immediate vicinity, thereby gaining some degree of protection against incoming fire. Unlike Evade it does not leave the user prone but does rely on some form of cover being available, for example ducking back around a corner in a corridor or crouching down behind a table in a bar. Depending on circumstances, the available cover may or may not be sufficient to completely protect the character. The type of cover will also determine its protective qualities; a thick steel door for instance may prove impenetrable to bullets, whereas a thin wooden wall might only provide 4 Armor Points. For general guidelines concerning the protective qualities of certain materials, see the 'Inanimate Objects Armor and Hit Points' table.

Reactive Combat Actions

This list specifies Reactions that can be used at any time during the Combat Round as a response to an imminent threat. As in the previous list, a reaction costs an Action Point to perform.

Counter Spell
The character can attempt to dismiss or counter an incoming spell. This assumes the countering magic has a Casting Time of one Turn, otherwise it must be prepared in advance and temporarily withheld using the Hold Magic Action. Successfully intercepting magic in this manner is assumed to negate the entire spell, even those with multiple targets or areas of effect.

Evade
The character can use their Evade skill in an attempt to dive clear of threats such as incoming missiles or a charging attack. This leaves the character prone unless mitigated by an Ability or special circumstance. Thus, the character’s next turn is usually spent taking the Regain Footing Action to stand again.

Interrupt
Delaying characters only. This Reactive Action halts an opponent’s Turn at any point to take a delayed Turn Action. Assuming no change in the tactical situation, the opponent continues the Turn after the character’s is completed. If unable to still achieve the original declaration, the opponent’s Action Point is wasted. An interrupt can also be used to perform an attack-of-opportunity against anyone passing close by the delaying character and within weapon’s reach.

Parry
The character can attempt to defend against an incoming attack using a combination of parrying, leaning, ducking, and sidestepping footwork to minimise the blow.

Free Combat Actions

Free Actions (listed below) can be performed at any time during the Combat Round and cost no Action Points to perform.

Assess Situation
If unengaged, a character can make a Perception roll at no Action Point cost. A Success reveals any relevant changes in the tactical situation (such as spotting a foe beginning a charge). Assessing while Running results in a Hard Perception roll, Sprinting is Formidable.

Drop Item
Dropping an item is a Free Action.

Signal
If unengaged, gesturing or signalling to one or more participants (if they can perceive the sign) is a Free Action.

Speak
A character can speak at any time during combat, but what is said should be limited to short phrases which can be uttered in five seconds or less; for example, ‘Look out behind you!’ or ‘Damn you to hell!’

Use Luck Point
Using a Luck Point – to re-roll a particular result for example – is a Free Action.

Movement in Combat

• Movement is performed by either the Move or Charge Action.
• The Move Action allows the character to move a distance equal to their Movement Rate.
• Movement can only be performed by unengaged characters (save for special cases such as Disengaging or Outmaneuvering).
• Except in certain cases (such as charging), all significant movement ceases once a character enters the engagement range of the intended opponent.
• Unless charging through contact, moving into the opponent's engagement zone places each in engagement with the other.
• Once Engaged, characters cannot move away from an opponent unless first Disengaging or Withdrawing from close combat.
• Attempting to move past an unengaged foe who is using the Delay Combat Action permits (as a specific exception) that opponent to strike at moving characters as they pass by or block a character’s progress, prompting close combat on the following Turn or Round.

Disengaging

A Character can disengage from an opponent by using the Move proactive combat action, triggering an Opposed Roll of Athletics or Combat Style (both combatants can choose either; i.e., one can choose Athletics and the other can choose Combat Style, both can choose Athletics, or both can choose Combat Style). Successfully disengaging then allows the disengager to move up to half their base Movement Rate. If the opponent disengaged from can subsequently move in the same round, they can choose to reengage simply by moving up to their opponent and using an Action Point to attack (a single Action Point may be used to carry out both the move and the attack).

Characters can also disengage using the Widthraw Combat Maneuver, or the Outmaneuver Proactive Action.

Situational Movement Rates

These movement rates are situational and are not always an option. Some are detailed elsewhere but are included here for convenience. Most of these situational rates may be used in addition to a normal Movement Rate under set restrictions. Such information is detailed in the specific descriptions below.

Climb
A character that moves adjacent to or starts the Turn next to a climbable surface or object may climb at a rate equal to the Base Movement Rate. The character cannot have moved faster than a Walk and must have movement remaining, with the distance climbed being reduced by any movement already used. Worn armor hinders climbers by an amount equal to the Armor Points of the heaviest item worn.

Crawl
A character that begins the Turn prone may crawl at a maximum rate of two meters per Turn in place of a normal Move. Creatures that naturally crawl as their normal mode of movement instead use the rules for Walk, Run, and Sprint.

Jump
A character that moves adjacent to or starts the Turn next to a jumpable obstacle may attempt to leap over it. The character may be moving at any rate up to the point of the leap. A successful Athletics roll allows one to jump up to twice one’s own height horizontally or up to half one’s own height vertically (if the character has at least a five meter run-up available). If jumping from a standing position, then these distances are halved.

Swim
A character that moves adjacent to or starts the Turn next to a body of water may swim at a rate equal to the Base Movement Rate, minus any movement already used. See the Swim skill description for more information.

General Combat Rules

Fighting in Casus Mus is resolved with each attack or parry representing a single stab, swing, spell cast, or shot of a weapon. Any offensive Action permits the chance to be resisted by a reaction.

Thus, even if a character manages to strike an opponent, the foe is permitted their own roll to see if they can parry the blow before it lands. The same philosophy is used whether the attacks are missile weapons against targets diving for cover or trying to break free from the iron grasp of a giant octopus.

Attacks and Parries

Combat (both close and ranged combat) is handled in the following step-by-step manner:

• On their turn the attacker spends an Action Point, rolls against their Combat Skill, and notes the result.
• If desired, the defender spends an Action Point to Parry (or Evade), rolls against their Combat Skill, and notes the result.
• The success level of the results are compared as Differential Rolls .
• Any difference grants the successful combatant with the superior roll one or more Combat Maneuver.
• If the attacker achieved a Success or Critical, they may roll weapon damage and apply their Damage Modifier (if any).
• If the defender achieved a Success or Critical, reduce any damage inflicted according to the comparative sizes of the weapons involved.
• Reduce any remaining damage by the Armor Points of natural or worn protection.

Note that any Combat Maneuvers generated by the exchange are independent of whether damage is inflicted. It is quite possible for a defender to gain the higher success level, yet still suffer injury.

Weapon Size

Every weapon in Casus Mus possesses several different attributes, from the damage it deals to how many hands are required to wield it. Size is a combination of a weapon’s mass, leverage, and stability, and is used to determine the weapon’s ability to impose and parry damage.

Size categories are Small, Medium, Large, Huge, and Enormous. The unarmed attacks of creatures are assigned similar categories according to their physical characteristics.

Damage Reduction

If a defender succeeds in parrying, then they can reduce an attacker’s damage, if any, according to the comparative Size of the weapons used.

• Parrying an attack with a weapon or shield of equal or greater Size deflects all damage
• Parrying with a weapon or shield of one Size less only deflects half damage
• Parrying with a weapon or shield two or more Sizes less fails to deflect any damage

For example, parrying a great axe (Huge) with a kite shield (also Huge) would block all damage; parrying it with a Longsword (Large) would halve the damage, and parrying it with a shortsword (Medium) would stop no damage at all.

Armor

Any damage which penetrates the defender’s Parry is further reduced by the Armor Points of any natural protection (such as scales or a shell) or worn armor they possess. If the defender has both, then the two stack together to reduce damage.

Due to its mass and restriction to movement, armor worn by a character acts as a penalty to their Initiative roll.

Parrying a Missed Attack

If the attacker misses their initial attack roll, the defender has the option to spend an Action Point to Parry. Although it may seem disingenuous to parry an attack which will miss anyway, a skilled defender can use this to their advantage to gain one or more Combat Maneuver, potentially weakening or incapacitating a foe and preserving their next turn for some other Action.

Unable or Unwilling to Parry

In a situation where a defender is unable to Parry due to having no Action Points remaining, or, confident in their ability to weather the blow, elects not to Parry, they are treated as having automatically rolled a Failure. This has the consequence of granting a successful attacker one or more Combat Maneuver.

Unsuccessful Rolls and Fumbles

If both combatants Fail their rolls, or the defender decides not to take advantage of a missed attack, then the attack – Parry sequence ends, and combat continues on to the participant with the next highest Initiative.

Close Combat Rules

Close (melee) combat is hand-to-hand fighting in its classic sense, when combatants strike each other with wielded or natural weapons. The following guidelines offer ways to make close combat more interesting.

Situational Modifiers

Situational modifiers may be applied when fighting in particular conditions, or as the result of a Combat Maneuver. For example, fighting in the dark might incur a Difficulty Grade of Herculean. Unless stated otherwise, modifiers are decided by the Game Runner. Where two or more situations are pertinent to the character, use the most severe.

Some modifiers are circumstance dependent, but rather than applying a Difficulty Grade the Combat Style skill is limited by a relevant skill. For example, fighting from the back of a horse would cap the combatant’s Combat Style by their Ride skill, while fighting in water might cap it to the value of the character’s Swim skill.

Close Combat Situational Modifiers Table

Engagement

A character is considered Engaged if within melee weapon range of an opponent. This does not necessarily require that both combatants can reach each other; only that one of them can be potentially struck by the other. Once a character has Engaged with an opponent, they can no longer freely depart that fight (charging past is a special exception). It requires some form of deliberate act to break contact with a foe such as Disengaging, the Outmaneuver Proactive Action, or the use of the Withdraw Combat Maneuver.

Charging

The Charge Action is the act of moving quickly to increase the force and impact of an attack. A charge requires the attacker to choose a Charge Action, moving at either a Running or Sprint gait. If this brings them into contact with their opponent, they must stop there and conduct the Attack Action, as modified for the charge. There is no minimum distance that must be covered before a charge can take place, as the distance moved is less a factor than the momentum achieved.

While charging, the attack roll suffers one Difficulty Grade penalty. In return the charge increases the Size of the attacking weapon by one step and a bipedal attacker’s Damage Modifier by one step (two steps if a quadruped or more legs). Riding characters may use their mount's Damage Modifier instead of their own. The final position of the charging character depends on the result of the exchange and whether the attacker wishes to stop or continue sweeping past, immediately breaking engagement.

Rather than Parrying or Evading, the recipient of a charge can simultaneously counterattack the charging attacker instead. In this case the wielder of the longer weapon strikes first. If the weapon can be set to receive a charge (such as a spear), the recipient may use the Damage Modifier of the charger instead of their own.

Cover

Opponents may use cover to obstruct attacks against them, by either physically blocking a blow due to the toughness of the interposing material, or by obscuring where precisely the foe is. The precise value of cover depends on the thickness of its protection and the extent of its coverage.

In order to understand how much cover is provided, the attacker should roll a random Hit Location so it can be determined whether they're covered or vulnerable.

An attack against a target that lands on an obscured Hit Location will be blocked to the extent of the cover’s inherent protection. Cover can be partially negated by striking through the cover if the weapon is capable of penetrating it.

Evading

Evading in combat is to throw oneself clear of an overwhelming attack. This requires an Opposed Roll of the Evade skill of the defender versus the attacker’s pertinent roll. This could be anything from the Drive skill of a ramming battle tank to the spell casting skill of a magician. If the attacker wins then they inflict damage as per normal. If the defender wins, damage is completely avoided.

Whatever the result, the evasive gambit leaves the defender prone – usually requiring the character to regain their footing on their following turn – unless a Combat Style Trait or other circumstance prevents the evader going prone.

Knockback

An attack which imparts more damage than the SIZ of the recipient will, by default, result in the character being knocked back. The damage in this circumstance is before any reduction due to parrying or armor. On receiving such a blow, the recipient must pass an Easy Acrobatics or Standard Athletics roll to avoid falling prone. They are also thrust back one meter for every five points of damage (or fraction thereof) over their SIZ. Proactively using the Brace Combat Action can reduce or even negate the effects of knockback.

Leaping Attacks

Leaping attacks can be launched from a variety of situations. Most are triggered as part of an ambush or at the conclusion of a charge, but some creatures can leap atop an opponent without the need for a run-up or superior height.

A leaping attack is resolved with an Opposed Roll of the leaper’s Athletics skill versus the defender’s Brawn or Evade skill. Quadruped targets make the attack roll one Difficulty Grade harder. If the leaper wins then the defender is automatically knocked prone, with the attacker astride them. Failure means the defender has weathered or sidestepped the impact. If the winner of the Opposed Roll achieves one or more levels of success over their opponent, they may select suitable Combat Maneuvers as per normal combat.

No damage is inflicted as part of the leap; however, a subsequently prone victim cannot recover their footing until either their attacker leaves, or they eventually win a Combat Maneuver permitting them to Arise.

Leaping attacks only work against opponents of up to twice the attacker’s SIZ. A target can make themselves more difficult to knock down by proactive use of the Brace Combat Action, provided they are aware of the impending leap attack.

Outmaneuvering

A character facing multiple opponents can use movement to limit the number which can attack him at any time, constantly shifting position, forcing foes to interfere with one another. Outmaneuver requires that the character has room to move about and is not pinned in a confining area.

Outmaneuvering requires that the character engages their opponents in a group Opposed Roll of Evade skills. Every participant, both the maneuvering character and those foes who wish to corner him, must spend an Action Point. Then they each roll once; those who fail to beat the maneuvering character’s roll cannot attack him for the remainder of that Combat Round, being blocked by their allies or terrain features.

If the maneuvering character beats all of their opponents, they have the choice of safely engaging a single foe for the rest of that Round or Withdrawing from the fight completely.

Surprise

Surprise occurs when an unexpected attack is launched against opponents unaware of the attacker’s presence or intention. An ambush would be an example of the former, while treacherously turning on an unsuspecting ally during amiable conversation illustrates the latter.

The effects of surprise on a target are potent:

• The target suffers a –10 penalty to Initiative
• Until their Initiative arrives, they are considered flat-footed and cannot defend themselves
• The first attack on the target, if successful, gains a bonus Combat Maneuver
• For the remainder of the Round, they may not perform any offensive Action

Sweep Attacks

Sweep attacks occur at the Game Runner’s discretion, when weapons or creatures of unusual size attack a closely clumped group of opponents - for example, the scything tail of a huge dragon or the unstoppable charge of a giant triceratops – striking several foes simultaneously.

A sweep attack is made by applying a single attack roll of the weapon or creature to all targets in its path. Each defender must resolve the effects of the attack separately and any Combat Maneuvers imposed on the attacker are treated as having occurred concurrently.

Ranged Combat Rules

Ranged combat incorporates all forms of weaponry which require to be shot, thrown, or slung to strike their target. Ranged attacks are resolved in an identical way to close combat. However, Ranged Weapons can normally only be parried with shields; those without must rely on natural cover or use Evade to dive out of the line of fire. Thus, against lightly armored foes, Ranged Weapons can be formidable deterrents.

Each Ranged Weapon has several specific attributes which determine its effectiveness. Those with a key bearing on combat are as follows:

Force
The Ranged Weapon equivalent of Size. It is an abstract measure of the penetrative power of a weapon or its ammunition to determine whether the blow overcomes a (shield) parry.

Damage Modifier
This Attribute shows whether or not the Damage Modifier of the attacker can be used to boost the Ranged Weapon’s damage roll. In general, only self-drawn bows and thrown weapons allow the user to apply their Damage Modifier.

Range
Three numbers separated by slashes, representing the maximum Close, Effective, and Long ranges of the weapon or its ammunition. Close Range provides an Easy Difficulty Grade. Effective Range has no significant modifiers. At Long Range, the weapon can still inflict harm, but the amount of damage is halved, and Force is reduced by one step.

Load
The time in Turns taken to load or reload a weapon that fires ammunition. A character can reduce the time spent loading or readying by use of the Rapid Reload Combat Maneuver.

Impale Size
The Size of an impaling weapon is different from the Force it strikes with. Ranged impaling weapons have a special column denoting their actual size when considering the hindrances caused by the Impale Combat Maneuver.

Situational Modifiers

As with close combat, situational modifiers may be applied when using Ranged Weapons in particular conditions. A character’s Combat Skill may be capped when using the weapon in difficult circumstances, such as throwing a spear while riding a horse.

Ranged Combat Situational Modifiers Table

Aiming

By spending additional time aiming a Ranged Weapon, a character can potentially increase their chance of hitting. Aiming requires an entire Combat Round steadying the weapon and waiting for the best opportunity to release, for example withholding a bowshot for a momentary lull in the wind or until a target moves between two obstructions. By aiming, the character may reduce the difficulty of a Range or Situational Modifier by one grade. Additional Rounds spent aiming grant no further advantage.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Combat Maneuvers

Combat Maneuvers Table
Combat Maneuver Descriptions

Fighting is far more than simply injuring or killing an opponent. Combative arts teach many methods of defeating a foe, perhaps rendering them helpless or forcing them into situations where they must capitulate, without necessarily needing to cause them harm. Combat Maneuvers represent these techniques and control how they occur in play.

Whenever opponents engage in a Differential Roll of their respective fighting skills, any resulting difference in success levels indicates an opportunity for Combat Maneuvers to occur. This reflects one combatant maneuvering their opponent into a disadvantageous situation which can be exploited using a cunning trick or tactic.

The number of Combat Maneuvers received depends on the difference between the levels of success, as illustrated on the Differential Levels of Success Table.

If any Combat Maneuvers are won during an exchange, they must be selected before Damage is rolled. In cases where the recipient is badly wounded in addition to receiving a Combat Maneuver, Endurance rolls are resolved after the application of the effect.

Combat Maneuvers cover a diverse range of situations and techniques. Some are designed specifically for attacks, while others are intended for defense and a few are adaptable for either circumstance. Certain Combat Maneuvers can also be limited to specific weapon types or specific dice rolls, requiring a Critical or Fumble result on their skill check for instance.

When two or more Combat Maneuvers are gained, the combatant may freely mix and match which are selected, providing the prerequisite conditions for each are met. Some effects can be stacked. For example, an attacker who rolls a Critical Success and wins two Combat Maneuvers could choose Maximize Damage twice rather than choosing two separate offensive maneuvers.

Combat Maneuvers Table

Combat Maneuver Descriptions

Accidental Injury

The defender deflects or twists an opponent’s attack in such a way that the attacker fumbles, injuring themself. The attacker must roll damage against himself using the weapon used to strike. If unarmed, the attacker tears or breaks something internal, the damage roll ignoring any armor.

Arise

Allows the defender to use a momentary opening to roll back up to their feet.

Bash

The attacker deliberately bashes the opponent off balance. How far the defender totters back or sideward depends on the weapon being used. Shields knock an opponent back one meter for every 2 points of damage rolled (prior to any subtractions due to armor, parries, and so forth), whereas bludgeoning weapons knock back one meter for every three points. Bashing works only on creatures up to twice the attacker’s SIZ. If the recipient is forced backward into an obstacle, then they must make a Hard Athletics or Acrobatics skill roll to avoid falling or tripping over. For large ranged weapons, since Bash relies more on catching an opponent off balance, rather than throwing them backwards by pure force, it is perfectly reasonable for projectile ammunition to cause a target to stagger if it strikes an extremity.

Bleed

The attack cuts open a major blood vessel. If the blow overcomes Armor Points and injures the target, the defender must make an Opposed Roll of Endurance against the original attack roll. If the defender Fails, then they begin to bleed profusely. At the start of each Combat Round, the recipient loses one level of Fatigue, until they collapse and possibly die. Bleeding wounds can be staunched by passing a First Aid skill roll, but the recipient can no longer perform any strenuous or violent action without re-opening the wound. See Blood Loss, in the Game System section. For ranged weapons, since most produce narrow wound paths, it is actually more difficult to nick or sever a major blood vessel than it is with a slicing or stabbing weapon. Due to this Bleed should be a Critical Success only.

Blind Opponent

On a Critical the character briefly blinds their opponent by throwing sand, reflecting sunlight off their shield, or some other tactic that briefly interferes with the opponent’s vision. The opponent must make an Opposed Roll of their Evade skill (or Weapon skill if using a shield) against the character’s original roll. If the opponent fails, they suffer a situational modifier of Hard or Formidable for the next 1d3 Turns, depending on the method of blinding.

Bypass armor

On a Critical the attacker finds a gap in the defender’s natural or worn armor. If the defender is wearing armor above natural protection, then the attacker must decide which of the two is bypassed. This effect can be stacked to bypass both. For the purposes of this effect, physical protection gained from magic is considered as being worn armor. Although Bypass Armor can ostensibly be used with any sort of attack, some types of ammunition might either be prevented from accessing this effect (shot gun pellets due to their spread) or built into their base performance, granting it as a bonus Combat Maneuver in addition to any others won (Teleportation rounds). Much depends on how the Game Runner wishes to model the weapon.

Circumvent Parry

On a Critical the attacker may completely bypass an otherwise successful Parry.

Damage Weapon

Permits the character to damage their opponent’s weapon as part of an Attack or Parry. If attacking, the character aims specifically at the defender’s Parrying weapon and applies their damage roll to it, rather than the wielder. The targeted weapon uses its own Armor Points for resisting the damage. If reduced to zero Hit Points the weapon breaks.

Disarm Opponent

The character knocks, yanks, or twists the opponent’s weapon out of their hand. The opponent must make an Opposed Roll of their Combat Style against the character’s original roll. If the recipient of the disarm loses, their weapon is flung a distance equal to the roll of the disarmer’s Damage Modifier in meters. If there is no Damage Modifier, then the weapon drops at the disarmed person’s feet. The comparative size of the weapons affects the roll. Each step that the disarming character’s weapon is larger increases the difficulty of the opponent’s roll by one grade. Conversely, each step the disarming character’s weapon is smaller makes the difficulty one grade easier. Disarming works only on creatures of up to twice the attacker’s STR.

Drop Foe

Offensive, large ranged weapons only. Assuming the target suffers at least a minor wound from the shot, they are forced to make an Opposed Roll of their Endurance against the attacker’s hit roll. Failure indicates that the target succumbs to shock and pain, becoming incapacitated and unable to continue fighting. Recovery from incapacitation can be performed with a successful First Aid check or using some form of technological or narcotic booster if such exists in the campaign. Otherwise the temporary incapacitation lasts for a period equal to one hour divided by the Healing Rate of the target.

Duck Back

Offensive, mechanical ranged weapons only. This Combat Maneuver allows the shooter to immediately duck back into cover, without needing to wait for their next Turn to use the Take Cover action. The character must be already standing or crouching adjacent to some form of cover to use Duck Back.

Enhance Parry

On a Critical the defender manages to deflect the entire force of an attack, no matter the Size of their weapon.

Entangle

Allows a character wielding an entangling weapon, such as a whip or net, to immobilise the location struck. An entangled arm cannot use whatever it is holding; a snared leg prevents the target from moving; while an enmeshed head, chest, or abdomen makes all skill rolls one grade harder. On their following turn, the wielder may spend an Action Point to make an automatic Trip Opponent attempt. An entangled victim can attempt to free himself on their turn by either attempting an Opposed Roll using Brawn to yank free, or win a Combat Maneuver and select Damage Weapon, Disarm Opponent, or Slip Free.

Force Failure

Used when an opponent Fumbles, the character can combine Force Failure with any other Combat Maneuver which requires an Opposed Roll to work. Force Failure causes the opponent to Fail their resistance roll by default – thereby automatically be disarmed, tripped, and so forth.

Grip

Provided the opponent is within the attacker’s Unarmed Combat reach, they may use an empty hand (or similar limb capable of gripping) to hold onto the opponent, preventing them from being able to disengage from combat. The opponent may attempt to break free on their turn, requiring an Opposed Roll of either Brawn or Unarmed against whichever of the two skills the gripper prefers.

Impale

Roll weapon damage twice, with the attacker choosing which of the two results to use for the attack. Assuming the weapon is a melee weapon, if armor is penetrated and causes a wound, the attacker has the option of leaving the weapon in the wound or yanking it free on their next turn. Leaving the weapon in the wound inflicts a Difficulty Grade on the victim’s future skill attempts. The severity of the penalty depends on the size of both the creature and the weapon impaling it, as listed on the Impale Effects Table below. For simplicity’s sake, further impalements with the same sized weapon inflict no additional penalties. To withdraw an impaled weapon during melee requires use of the Ready Weapon Combat Action. The wielder must pass an unopposed Brawn roll (or win an Opposed Brawn roll if the opponent resists). Success pulls the weapon free, causing further injury to the same location equal to half the normal damage roll for that weapon, but without any Damage Modifier. Failure implies that the weapon remains stuck in the wound with no further effect, although the wielder may try again on their next turn (barbed weapons such as harpoons inflict normal damage instead of half upon withdrawal). Armor does not reduce withdrawal damage. While it remains impaled, the attacker cannot use their impaling weapon for Parrying.

For ranged weapons, the ammunition of most bows or crossbow-like weapon will be able to impale.

Impale Effects Table

Maximize Damage

On a Critical the character may substitute one of their weapon’s damage dice for its full value. For example, a Hand Axe which normally does 1d6 damage would instead be treated as a 6, whereas a great club with 2d6 damage would instead inflict 1d6+6 damage. This Combat Maneuver may be stacked. Although it can also be used for natural weapons, Maximize Damage does not affect the Damage Modifier of the attacker, which must be rolled normally.

Offensive Force

The attacker sets up for an aggressive attack on their next turn, forcing their opponent to only take defensive action on their next turn.

Pin Down

Ranged weapons only. Similar to Offensive Force, this Combat Maneuver forces the target to make an Opposed Roll of their Willpower against the attacker’s hit roll. Failure means that the target hunkers down behind whatever cover is available and cannot return fire on their next Turn. Note that Pin Down works even if no actual damage is inflicted on the target (perhaps due to a successful evasion or shots striking their cover instead), as it relies on the intimidation effect of gunfire passing very close by.

Although a pinned victim is unable to fire back for the requisite time, they can perform other actions provided they don’t expose themselves to fire in the process, such as crawling away to new cover, communicating with others, reloading a weapon and so on.

Prepare Counter

The defender reads the patterns of their foe and prepares a counter against a specific Combat Maneuver (which should be noted down in secret). If their opponent attempts to inflict the chosen Combat Maneuver upon him during the fight, the defender instantly substitutes the attacker’s effect with one of their own, which succeeds automatically.

Rapid Reload

When using a Ranged Weapon, the attacker reduces the reload time for the next shot by one. This effect can be stacked.

Scar Foe

The combatant inflicts their opponent with a scar that will be the talk of all for the rest of their life – such as an almost-severed-throat, or the letter ‘Z’ artfully inscribed across the chest.

Select Target

When an attacker Fumbles, the defender may maneuver or deflect the blow in such a way that it hits an adjacent bystander instead. This requires that the new target is within reach of the attacker’s close combat weapon, or in the case of a ranged attack, is standing along the line of fire. The new victim is taken completely by surprise by the unexpected accident and has no chance to avoid the attack which automatically hits. In compensation, however, they suffer no Combat Maneuver.

Slip Free

On a Critical the defender can automatically escape being Entangled, Gripped, or Pinned.

Stun Location

The attacker can use a bludgeoning weapon to temporarily stun the body part struck. If the blow overcomes Armor Points and injures the target, the defender must make an Opposed Roll of Endurance vs. the original attack roll. If the defender Fails, then the Hit Location is Incapacitated for a number of Turns equal to the damage inflicted. A blow to the torso causes the defender to stagger winded, only able to defend. A head shot renders the foe briefly insensible and unable to act.

Sunder

The attacker may use a suitable weapon, such as an axe, to damage the armor or shield used by an opponent. Each successful Sunder damages armor (or a shield if used to parry the Sunder), lowering its protection value by one die. For example, Sundering Full Armor lowers its protection from 1d10 - 1 to 1d8 - 1.

Tail Whip

The character whips their tail into their opponent's face, causing an Opposed Roll vs. the opponent's Willpower. Failure means that the opponent is startled and distracted, causing one level of Difficulty Grade on their next action This does not cost an Action Point.

Trip Opponent

The character attempts to overbalance or throw their opponent to the ground. The opponent must make an Opposed Roll of their Brawn, Evade, or Acrobatics against the character’s original roll. If the target Fails, they fall prone. Quadruped opponents (or creatures with even more legs) may substitute their Athletics skill for Evade and treat the roll as one Difficulty Grade easier. For ranged weapons, assuming they actually shoot ammunition with mass, there is no reason that this effect couldn’t be used when shooting at the legs of an opponent, even if no damage penetrates any worn protection.

Weapon Malfunction

Attacker Fumbles, mechanical ranged weapons only. The attacker’s weapon malfunctions in such a way that it is rendered useless until time can be spent field stripping and cleaning it.

Withdraw

The defender may automatically withdraw out of reach, breaking off engagement with that particular opponent. The defender may then move half their base Movement Rate.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Combat Maneuvers Categorized

Offensive Combat Maneuvers
Defensive Combat Maneuvers
Melee/Close Combat Maneuvers
Ranged Combat Maneuvers
Critical- or Fumble-Only Combat Maneuvers
Combat Maneuvers Requiring Opposed Rolls

Offensive Combat Maneuvers

Some are also defensive.

Defensive Combat Maneuvers

Some are also offensive.

Melee/Close Combat Maneuvers

Ranged Combat Maneuvers

Critical- or Fumble-Only Combat Maneuvers

Combat Maneuvers Requiring Opposed Rolls

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Casus Mus Example Combat Styles

See also Online Resources for an encyclopedic list of Combat Styles and Combat Style Traits.

Casus Mus Combat Styles

Unarmed Mouse

This Combat Style allows the use of bite, claw, and tail attacks. It also allows use of the tail to hurl rocks. Every mouse has access to the Unarmed Mouse Combat Style.

Soldier Combat Style Weapons List

‣ One of: Axe, 1H Spear, 2H Spear
‣ Longsword or Broadsword
‣ Shield
‣ One of: Bow, Sling, Crossbow (Crossbows are rare)

Ranger Combat Style Weapons List

‣ One of: Axe, 1H Spear, 2H Spear
‣ One of: Broadsword, Longsword, Shortsword
‣ Shield
‣ One of: Bow, Sling, Javelin

Sparrow Rider Combat Style Weapons List

‣ One of: Net, 1H Spear
‣ Dagger
‣ Shield
‣ Bow or Crossbow (Crossbows are rare)

Lizard Rider Combat Style Weapons List

‣ One of: Mace, 1H Spear
‣ Dagger
‣ Shield
‣ Bow or Crossbow (Crossbows are rare)

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Optional Combat Rules

Action Points

Mythras Imperative has 2 Action Points for everyone. Below is an optional alternative.

Roll initiative normally, then consult the table below. AP and order of action are indicated by the table. Note the values for the fastest combatant and their 3rd AP. Any combatants with 2nd or 3rd APs below that do not receive APs those 2nd or 3rd values in a round.

Examples

A combat with combatants A, B, and C takes place. A gets an initiative of 24, B gets an initiative of 22, and C gets an initiative of 17.

A receives 3 APs and may act on initiative 24 (1st cycle), initiative 16 (2nd cycle), and initiative 8 (3rd cycle).
B receives 3 APs and may act on initiative 22 (1st cycle), initiative 15 (2nd cycle), and initiative 8 (3rd cycle).
C receives 2 APs because their 3rd potential AP is below A's 3rd AP. C may act on iniative 17 (1st cycle), and initiative 12 (2nd cycle).

A combat with combatants A, B, and C takes place. A gets an initiative of 25, B gets an initiative of 15, and C gets an initiative of 12.

A receives 3 APs and may act on initiative 25 (1st cycle), initiative 17 (2nd cycle), and initiative 9 (3rd cycle).
B receives 2 APs because their 3rd potential AP is below A's 3rd AP. B may act on initiative 15 (1st cycle), and initiative 10 (2nd cycle).
C receives 1 AP because their 2nd and 3rd potential APs are below A's 3rd AP. C may act on initiative 12 (1st cycle).

The table above is the likely range for most characters and NPCs; the table below is a more complete range.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Armor and Weapons

Armor

Armor in Casus Mus protects from a random amount of damage each time a Character is struck. (Mice, lizards, and many mouse-like and lizard-like creatures have 1 point of natural fur or scale armor.)

Leaf/Bark Armor

Leaf or bark armor is fungible, flimsy protection made from foraged leaves, sticks, bark, etc. It is convenient in that it's free and anyone can use it. Something's better than nothing.

Leather/Skins/Fur Armor

Armor made from leather, skins, or fur (presumably from some non-mouse species of animal). It often includes braces and greaves (for arm and leg protection) and a shirt or jacket for the torso.

Half Armor

Plate, banded, chain/link, etc. armor that protects only vital areas. It often includes light braces and greaves for partial arm and leg coverage, and a partial chest plate. Materials vary, and could include plastic, metal, wood, etc.

Full Armor

Plate, banded, chain/link, etc. armor that generally includes full greaves and braces, and full chest and torso protection such as a full chest plate or a mail shirt. Materials vary, and could include plastic, metal, wood, etc.

Shields

Shields protect from a random amount of damage each time a Character is struck. This is in addition to any armor and protection from parrying.

Melee Weapons

Ranged Weapons

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Wounds and Healing

Hit Points in Casus Mus are a single pool, rather than using Hit Points per location. Hit Points are calculated by averaging CON and SIZ, round up.

Minor Wounds

Wounds that do less than half (rounded up) of a character's total Hit Points in a single event/attack are called Minor Wounds. Minor Wound damage that add up to the character's total Hit Points (taking them to zero) kill the character. Once a character has lost half their Hit Points to Minor Wound damage, every Skill is one Difficulty Grade harder.

Major Wounds

Wounds that do half or more (rounded up) of a character's total Hit Points in a single event/attack are called Major Wounds. A character who receives a Major Wound immediately:

1. Must make an Endurance check or become incapacitated due to shock; each round the character can roll again to "wake up" from the shock
2. Is penalized two Difficulty Grades for every Skill
3. Must roll on the Major Wound Permanent Effects table below and apply the result

A character with a Major Wound must receive mundane or magical healing within their CON / 2 (round up) rounds or fall unconscious.

A character with a Major Wound must receive mundane or magical healing within one game hour or die.

Characters can use a Luck Point to downgrade a Major Wound to a Minor Wound (reducing the damage taken to one Hit Point less than what would be required to inflict a Major Wound).

Fatal Wounds

When a character is below 1 Hit Point, they are dead. Characters can spend a Luck Point to downgrade a Fatal Wound to a Major Wound (reducing damage so that the character has 1 Hit Point). The character immediately falls unconscious.

Note that it could be the first or 20th attack on a character that inflicts a Fatal Wound.

Natural Healing from Injury

Natural healing from wounds and injuries is based on the character’s Healing Rate. The Healing Rate dictates how many Hit Points are recovered depending on the injury’s nature:

• Minor Wounds: Days
• Major Wounds: Weeks or Months (Game Runner discretion)

Roo Springtail received a Minor Wound during a skirmish with some rat bandits. Roo's Healing Rate is 3, so they will naturally heal at a rate of 3 HP per day until healed.

The healing character cannot engage in strenuous activity: otherwise, the Healing Rate is reduced by 1d3. Thus, a character recovering from even a Minor Wound could find his progress halted if they decide to engage in any physical tasks that might exacerbate the injuries.

Major Wound Permanent Effects

Major Wound-Affected Skill List 1

The following Skills are one Difficulty Grade harder:

• Combat Styles
• Disguise
• Insight
• Perception
• Track

Major Wound-Affected Skill List 2

The following Skills are one Difficulty Grade harder:

• Disguise
• Perception

Major Wound-Affected Skill List 3

The following Skills are one Difficulty Grade harder:

• Acting
• Commerce
• Disguise
• Language (Spoken)
• Musicianship
• Native Tongue (Spoken)
• Seduction
• Sing

Major Wound-Affected Skill List 4

The following Skills are one Difficulty Grade harder:

• Acrobatics
• Athletics
• Combat Styles
• Craft
• Lockpicking
• Mechanisms
• Pilot
• Ride
• Sleight
• Swim

Major Wound-Affected Skill List 5

The following Skills are one Difficulty Grade harder:

• Acrobatics
• Athletics
• Combat Styles
• Dance
• Evade
• Ride
• Swim

Major Wound-Affected Skill List 6

The following Skills are one Difficulty Grade harder:

• Acrobatics
• Athletics
• Combat Styles
• Evade

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Misc. Game System Rules

Asphyxiation
Character Improvement
Disease and Poison
Falling
Fatigue
Fire
Hit Locations
Inanimate Objects
Luck Points

Asphyxiation

Characters can hold their breath for a number of seconds equal to their Endurance skill. However, the character must be prepared (filling the lungs with as much air as possible); if not, then the period is halved if the character was in a passive situation, or reduced to one-fifth if the character was engaged in strenuous activity.

Once the period of held breath is over, characters must make an Endurance roll each Round:
• If the roll is a Critical Success, no further deterioration occurs.
• If the roll is Successful, the character accrues an extra level of Fatigue.
• If the roll Fails, the character sustains 1d2 extra levels of Fatigue that Round.
• If the roll is Fumbled, the character sustains 1d3 extra levels of Fatigue that Round.

Once a character reaches the Dead level of Fatigue, they... are dead.

Without aid, death from Asphyxiation is usually swift. If the Asphyxiation ends before the character dies, they recover Fatigue levels lost to suffocation relatively quickly, regaining one level per minute.

Depending on the method of Asphyxiation, the Game Runner may wish to prevent full recovery, imposing an enduring level of Fatigue to represent damage to the lungs caused by smoke or water inhalation.

Character Improvement

Every Casus Muscharacter can improve with time and experience. Improvement can be undertaken in several areas:

Increasing Existing Skills
Learning New skills
Increasing or Decreasing Passions

Increasing Existing Skills

Any skill, Standard or Professional, can be increased by spending one Experience Roll. Players can elect not to spend Experience Rolls on increasing skills, instead building up a stockpile for use in increasing other things – such as Class abilities (see below).

Using Experience Rolls

The player rolls 1d100 and compares it to the skill being increased, adding the character’s INT to the roll.
• If the number rolled is equal to or greater than the skill being improved, it increases by 1d4+1%.
• If the number rolled is less than the skill selected, the skill still increases, but only by 1%.
• If a character Fumbled any skill during the preceding session(s) – i.e., between the last set of Experience Rolls and the present one – the Fumbled skill gains a free increase of 1%.

We learn more from our mistakes than our successes and this represents the reflection a character undergoes following a disastrous failure. Multiple Fumbles of the same skill do not stack. In a case where the Fumbled skill is also being raised with an Experience Roll, the 1% from the Fumble is applied before the roll is made to improve it.

Learning New Skills

Some characters may wish to study new Professional Skills which they never had the chance to learn from their culture.

Before they can start investing Experience Rolls, they must first find a source of knowledge from which to learn. This could be as prosaic as a professional tutor such those provided by orders or guilds. Alternately it might be a more exotic source of education such as an ancient and crumbling training scroll.

Once a source of education is found, the character must spend an entire month of study and practice to garner a basic grounding in that skill (learn at Base Level). This costs 3 Experience Rolls plus whatever in-game costs are required to pay the teacher (if one exists) and purchase (or rent) whatever equipment and tools may be needed.

Increasing or Decreasing Passions

As described in Passions, the value of a Passion may be increased with Experience Rolls in the same way as a skill. If supported by play, the Game Runner might even allow a Passion to be reduced using an Experience Roll.

For example, constant spurning from an unrequited love might eventually wear down the Passion of even the most ardent lover, especially one who wishes to pursue a relationship without the ghosts of the past haunting them.

Disease and Poison

Some of the most feared things which can affect characters are the myriad diseases and poisons which infest the dark and grim places of the world. There’s nothing quite as unsettling than a plague which strikes the character’s home city, especially when they are still within its gates. Likewise finding a venomous serpent in the bed or being attacked by giant scorpions can be moments of high drama.

Diseases and poisons are near infinite in their varieties but, for game purposes, are handled in the same way.

Disease and Poison Traits

All diseases and poisons manifest a number of traits important to their effects.

Conditions

Sample Disease: Red Pox

Red pox is a nasty disease spread by skin contact with a person already infected, or with something they have touched. The chance of catching the disease from an object remains for 1d3 days after contact, making it quite difficult to contain the disease once an outbreak occurs.

Victims initially suffer a minor rash, but within a day come down with a serious fever which usually renders them bedridden for the entire duration. During this time the rash evolves into gruesomely itchy pustules which burst open at the slightest movement, weeping small trickles of blood – especially from the armpits and groin. This stage can last up to a week or more, potentially proving fatal.

Application: Contact
Potency: 50
Resistance: Endurance
Onset time: 1d6+6 hours
Duration: 1d6+3 days
Conditions: Once the disease manifests the victim becomes Contagious. 1 day later they begin to suffer Fever and Bleeding. Each day the pustules weep blood the victim loses one level of Fatigue, which does not recover until the duration of the disease has completed
Antidote/Cure: Can be cured by the Healing skill.

Falling

The amount of damage suffered in a fall depends on the distance of the drop. Armor does not reduce falling damage, but the Damage Modifier of the falling character or creature applies to the damage suffered from the fall.

Falling Objects

A falling object imparts an amount of damage based on its SIZ and the distance of the fall. An object imparts 1d6 damage for every 6 points of SIZ (or fraction thereof), plus an amount of damage equal to the Damage Taken column of the Falling Distance Table – including any reductions for objects of smaller size.

Fatigue

Fatigue measures tiredness and its incremental effects. It is used to track many different things, from strenuous activity to the debilitating effects of disease.

The primary way of accruing Fatigue is by engaging in some form of physical activity. The more arduous the exercise or work, the more quickly it tires the character. At the Game Runner’s discretion, characters must make an appropriate skill roll – either Athletics, Brawn, or Endurance – to resist gaining a level of Fatigue.

Every Failed roll accrues a level of Fatigue. Each level of Fatigue carries penalties for skill use, movement, Initiative, and Action Points. Asphyxiation, Blood Loss, and other setting dependent effects also contribute to Fatigue Accrual.

For most characters, activities of any kind become near impossible when the level of Incapacitated is reached. At this stage the character is still conscious but incapable of anything but the most desperate of activities.

Beyond Incapacitated, characters cannot act at all. The Fatigue levels – Semi-Conscious, Comatose, and Dead – are generally reserved for measuring the most extreme effects of suffocation, disease, blood loss, starvation, exposure, and so forth.

Recovering from Fatigue

Characters recover from Fatigue depending on their Healing Rate. The amount of complete rest needed to recover from each level of accrued Fatigue is equal to the Recovery Period divided by the character’s Healing Rate.

Note that the table below represents Fatigue recovery for physical exertion. Fatigue recovery can be much faster when recovering from Asphyxiation or slower if recuperating from Blood Loss.

Fire

Fire is always a source of danger, whether used as a weapon or just raging out of control. The Fire Intensity table below gives five different example intensities for heat damage and time to ignite.

Fire can ignite flammable materials. If not extinguished, such materials combust within the number of Rounds indicated by the fire’s Intensity. Once ignited, flammable materials burn until physically extinguished.

Fire-based attacks typically have a percentage chance of igniting flammable materials as they are generally over in a single Round. Unless otherwise noted, this chance is equal to the damage rolled x 5% for fire-based attacks, and damage rolled x 1% for electrical attacks.

Once ignited, flammable materials burn for the indicated damage every Round until physically extinguished. Apply this damage directly to the Hit Points of the material, ignoring Armor Points, and to any flesh beneath. A creature’s natural armor offers its normal protection, however.

A burning victim may attempt to smother the flames by dropping prone and making a successful Athletics roll, which requires an Action Point and may be attempted each Turn. If others assist in smothering the flames in some way, the roll is one Difficulty Grade easier. If the damage roll results in zero damage, the fire has gone out on its own.

Hit Locations

Occasionally it's useful to know where an attack lands, even though Casus Mus does not use Hit Points per location.

Hit Location Table (Tailed Biped)

Inanimate Objects

All inanimate objects possess Armor Points and Hit Points which are used to determine resistance to damage and destruction. Armor Points reduce damage before Hit Points are affected. Once an object’s Hit Points have been reduced to zero, it is useless.

Breakage attempts require a character to make a Brawn, Unarmed or Combat Style roll, as appropriate, to inflict damage. A success deals damage to the item.

Weapons vs. Inanimate Objects

Using a weapon against an inanimate object with Armor Points equal to or greater than those of the weapon deals damage to both the object and the weapon. For instance, using an axe on an iron door may damage the door, but the axe itself would be destroyed long before the iron door is. The Game Runner should exercise discretion on which weapons or tools can affect which objects. A chisel, for example, is explicitly designed to carve wood or stone while a sword, although sharp, is not. The chisel would therefore not take damage from something it is attempting to carve whereas a sword most likely would.

Luck Points

Luck Points help differentiate heroes from the rank and file. They represent a character’s ability to potentially turn failure into success and even cheat death.

Luck Points can be used during play and, at the beginning of the next session, replenish to their usual value.

Using Luck Points

Only one Luck Point can be used in support of a particular Action. Luck Points cannot be spent on Experience or Training rolls. Each of the following options costs a single Luck Point.

Cheat Fate
• Re-roll any roll they make; skill, damage, etc.
• Swap the tens and ones for any d100 roll they make; for example, a 90 would become a 09.
• Force an opponent to re-roll any roll made against them (rolls made by an opponent against the character); skill, damage, etc.

Desperate Effort
If a character has exhausted their Action Points during a round and needs to find that last burst of desperate energy to perhaps avoid a messy demise, they may spend a Luck Point to gain an additional Action Point.

Mitigate Damage
A character who suffers a Major Wound may spend a Luck Point to downgrade the injury to a Minor Wound. This reduces the damage taken to one Hit Point less than what would be required to inflict a Major Wound.

When a Character is below 1 Hit Point, they are dead. Characters can spend a Luck Point to downgrade a Fatal Wound to a Major Wound (reducing damage so that the Character has 1 Hit Point). The Character immediately falls unconscious.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Magic

Magic in Casus Mus is:

• Hedge Magic: common cantrips and low powered spells.
• High Magic: powerful reality-altering rituals and spells. Elemental summoning is one discipline within High Magic.
• Binding: a powerful arcane art that allows Hedge Magic spells to be temporarily or permanently stored in inanimate objects; these are sought-after artifacts of prodigious power.

The power that magicians¹ draw on is the inherent energy of nature in the world. All living things are imbued with it, and those with the right training and natural ability are able to tap into this natural energy and weave it into startling and sometimes dangerous effects.

Tapping into the magical power of nature carries risks, and can grant rewards. Critical successes and failures using magic can increase or decrease one's POW. See the individual magic sections for details.

Magic Points recover at the rate of 1/day when carrying out ordinary activities. To recover Magic Points more rapidly one must bask in nature, away from any structures or mechanical devices. In this case Magic Points recover at the rate of 5/day. Only calm, peaceful activities are allowed in such a situation. If one is disturbed partway through this communing with nature, the additional Magic Point recovery is lost, and it reverts to 1/day.

Depending on the community, magical lore and techniques may be shared freely or jealously hoarded.

In The Hill, Casus Mus' default setting, healing and mending Hedge Magic is fairly common and is often taught to pups that have the inherent ability. Spells of a more dangerous or nefarious nature tend to be the domain of the Grand Mice and the Mole Friends, and that knowledge is rather more protected.

High Magic and Binding on the Hill is the domain of the Mole Friend enchanters, although some particularly rich or powerful Grand Mice family members may be trained in High Magic or Binding.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Hedge Magic

The Hedge Magic Skill
Rewards and Risks of Hedge Magic
Duration of Spells
Hedge Magic Spell Traits
Hedge Magic Spells

A mouse must have a combined POW and CHA of at least 28 in order to learn and use Hedge Magic. Those characters that have the necessary POW and CHA and experience from a career or backstory start with Hedge Magic 1d2+1 spells. Characters can learn a number of Hedge Magic spells equal to the average of their POW and CHA, rounded up.

More Hedge Magic spells can be learned. It costs 3 Experience Rolls to learn a new Hedge Magic spell, and takes a week of dedicated study and practice. New spells must be learned from a teacher or a reliable source (such as a scroll or grimoire designed to teach a new spell).

The Hedge Magic Skill

The Hedge Magic skill base percentage is POW + CHA. It may be allocated points as with any other skill when allocating skills using the Skill Pyramid method.

Spells are cast using the Hedge Magic skill. Preparing and casting a spell requires one Action Point and a successful Hedge Magic roll. If the roll fails, the spell does not work and must be readied and attempted again later. If the roll succeeds, the spell works and Magic Points are deducted.

Casting takes a single turn, but the amount of Magic Points used and whether the spell is successful depends on the result of the roll.

If the Hedge Magic roll is a...
• Critical Success: the spell’s Magic Point cost is zero (and see below for a possible increase in POW).
• Success: the caster spends 1 Magic Point, and the spell works.
• Failure: the caster spends 1 Magic Point, but the spell does not work.
• Fumble: the caster spends 1d3 Magic Points for the spell and the spell fails (and see below for a possible decrease in POW).

Rewards and Risks of Hedge Magic

A critical success using the Hedge Magic skill means that the wizard has opened themselves to nature, and has the opportunity to draw magical energy from nature itself. If the player wins an opposed roll of their own Hedge Magic skill against their POW x 3, they gain 1d2 points of POW. They gain the same number of Magic Points as gained POW points.

A critical failure (a fumble) using the Hedge Magic skill means that the wizard has made a mistake or misstep tapping the magical power of nature, and nature may draw some of its power back. The player must win an opposed roll of their own Hedge Magic skill against their POW x 3 or lose 1d2 points of POW. If this brings them below a combined POW and CHA of 28, they lose the ability to cast Hedge Magic, and must seek to gain POW or CHA to regain it. Whether or not they drop below 28 CHA+POW, they lose the same number of Magic Points as lost POW points.

Duration of Spells

Unless a spell has either the Concentration or Instant traits it has a natural duration which lasts the entire scene or action for which the spell was used. A few spells have custom durations noted in the spell’s definition.

Hedge Magic Spell Traits

Hedge Magic Spells

Alarm

Traits: Special Duration
Casting Alarm on a location such as a room or small clearing creates a temporary psychic bond between the area and the caster. If the area is accessed by a living creature with a SIZ greater than 1, the caster is automatically made aware that something has transgressed no matter how great the distance.

The Alarm is usually a distinct tingling sensation or mental twinge which will awaken the caster. Alarm can also be used on an individual object, triggering when touched or moved. The Alarm remains in place until dismissed by the caster or after the caster's maximum POW in days, after which the Alarm must be recast if desired.

The Magic Point used to cast Alarm is not recovered until the spell is dismissed or concludes naturally.

Avert

Traits: Instant, Ranged
Avert is used to dismiss another Hedge Magic spell within range. Avert can be cast reactively to neutralise offensive spells, by using the Counter Magic Reactive Action. Avert does not affect High Magic spells.

Befuddle

Traits: Ranged, Resist (Willpower)
Befuddle causes confusion within the mind of a corporeal target. The subject of the spell has difficulty thinking straight, forgetting where it is, what it is doing and why – often lapsing into disassociated lines of thought. Befuddled targets can still act in self defense, but cannot initiate any constructive activity until the spell ends.

Any sort of attack or threatening action instantly breaks the spell, whether or not it was directed specifically at the befuddled target.

Bladesharp

Traits: Touch
Bladesharp is cast on edged and piercing melee weapons, or on a being with natural claws or teeth. It increases the damage of a weapon (or claws and teeth) by one dice step. Thus casting this spell on a dagger increases it to 1d6+1 damage, whereas the same spell on a great axe would increase it to 2d8+2 damage, and on a mouse would increase both their bite and claws to 1d6. (1d3 > 1d4 > 1d6 > 1d8 > 1d10 > 2d6 > 2d8 > 2d10). Bladesharp leaves weapons, teeth, and claws honed after the spell concludes.

Bludgeon

Traits: Touch
Bludgeon is similar to Bladesharp but used on weapons and tools that deal blunt-force trauma rather than cutting or piercing damage. It is normally used to aid with threshing grain, fulling wool, or similar heavy duty work.

Breath

Traits: Touch
Breath permits the recipient to hold their breath for an extended period, so that they can temporarily venture into harmful environments, such as underwater or atmospheres tainted by rock dust, gases, smoke or poisons.

The spell lasts for a maximum of half the caster’s POW in minutes, during which time the recipient cannot speak or the breath is lost and they immediately begin to asphyxiate (or become poisoned).

Calm

Traits: Ranged, Resist (Willpower)
Calm attempts to dampen down the passions or the target, perhaps ensuring that a lovesick paramour doesn’t press their suit, a frightened rival doesn’t scream for help, or that weapons are not drawn in anger.

A calmed person is not otherwise mentally affected, thus any sort of assault or threatening action still permits the target to defend themselves and even attack, albeit they will do so in a calm and level headed manner.

Chill

Traits: Instant, Touch
Chill dramatically reduces the temperature of small objects (no larger than the caster’s hand) down to the temperature of ice water. Useful for rapidly cooling hot items, chilling drinks, and so forth.

The spell does not freeze an object and neither does it cause any damage to its structure: it merely renders it very cold.

Darkness

Traits: Concentration, Ranged
Darkness creates an area of shadow, equal to POW in square meters, which suppresses all light within it. This is enough volume to fill a modest room, a length of corridor or form a small cloud if cast outside. All non-magical light, including sunlight, passing into or present within the boundary is reduced to the equivalent of a dim glow.

Disruption

Traits: Instant, Ranged, Resist (Endurance)
Disruption is used for damaging or destroying physical objects without the need for tools, or for example to drive off or kill living creatures such as birds or vermin. When cast at a living thing, Disruption inflicts 1d3 damage to a single random hit location or the overall Hit Points. In both cases the damage ignores any armor or natural protection.

Extinguish

Traits: Instant, Ranged
Extinguish immediately quenches flames and small fires of modest size and heat. It is useful for dousing candles, lanterns, torches or small cook fires, but it will not work on magical or larger, more ferocious conflagrations such as pyres, burning houses or dragon flames.

If cast against a fire elemental, it causes 1d6 damage.

Fatigue

Traits: Touch, Resist (Willpower)
For the duration, the victim incurs one level of Fatigue.

Find (X)

Traits: Concentration, Ranged, Resist (Special)
Find has many variations - each is specific and learned as a separate spell. Some common examples are given below. Find works by attuning to the natural emanations of the creature or thing, alerting the caster to its presence within the spell’s range.

Find is blocked by dense or thick materials such as metal, or earth and stone at least one meter thick. The spell cannot discern emotions or thoughts.

Find Arrows: Locates ammunition shot by hunters, which miss their target.
Find Flaw: Identifies any flaws in an object, such as hidden imperfections or physical damage.
Find Livestock: Locates a particular type of animal. Can be resisted with Willpower.
Find Loot: Locates precious metals and gems.
Find Object: Locates a lost personal possession.
Find Sickness: Identifies the existence of disease and illness, whether magical or mundane.

Firearrow

Traits: Touch
Firearrow causes all missiles thrown or fired by the recipient to burst into flame when released. Ostensibly created to act as a signal flare, it has since evolved into combat magic. Missiles under its effect add an additional 1d3 damage, but are extinguished if they impale flesh. Those that strike flammable material have a chance equal to the caster’s Hedge Magic skill of setting alight whatever they lodge in, such as wooden shields, thatched roofs and so on. Wooden ammunition is consumed as part of the spell.

Fireblade

Traits: Touch
Fireblade is similar to Firearrow, but is instead cast on hand tools and melee weapons. Its original purpose was to sterilise surgical equipment, aid in slash and burn agriculture, or provide illumination during darkness without the need to carry an additional light source.

If cast on a weapon it inflicts an additional 1d3 damage, and has the chance of setting flammable materials alight if held to them for several rounds (see Fire). Wooden hafted weapons under the effects of Fireblade will be consumed as part of the spell.

Glue

Traits: Touch
Glue cements together two solid, inanimate objects for the duration of the spell; for example, a cart wheel to its axle, or a door to its frame.

While under the effects of the spell the items, no matter how disparate, cannot be parted unless something actively tries to wrench them apart. In this circumstance the spell has a Brawn skill equal to five times the caster’s POW and fails when a superior Brawn defeats it in an Opposed Roll.

Once the spell concludes or fails the items part completely unharmed.

Heal

Traits: Instant, Touch
Heal has several different effects depending on the nature of the ailment it is being used on.

If the subject is suffering from a minor complaint such as a headache, back pain, hangover, cold, warts and so on, the symptoms are immediately lifted.

Cast on someone suffering a Minor Wound, it restores 1d4 Hit Points instantly.

Against Major Wounds no Hit Points are recovered; however, the spell will stabilise them, stop all bleeding, and prevent imminent death from inattention.

Ignite

Traits: Instant, Ranged
Ignite generally only works on flammable inorganic matter, causing a small object or hand-sized area to burst into flame. Depending on what was set alight, once burning, the flames may then spread unless quenched or countered in some way.

This spell is commonly used to light candles, torches, or lanterns from afar. It can also be used to start a camp or cooking fire in adverse conditions, such as using damp kindling or in strong winds.

If cast against a water elemental, it does 1d6 damage.

Ironhide

Traits: Touch
Grants the recipient magical armor, providing 1d3 points of armor protection. The recipient is wreathed in a subtle, shifting glow for the duration.

Knock

Traits: Instant, Touch
Knock magically unfastens any device that is currently secured with a mechanical bar or lock. It does not work on magically locked objects, only mundane ones. The spell only affects a single fastening, so if there are several locks and bars securing the object, the spell will need to be recast for each one.

Light

Traits: Concentration, Ranged
Light must be cast on an inanimate object (this could be a branch, sword blade, spear point, torch, etc.). It produces enough light to illuminate an area as though with a lantern. It can also be cast directly against a Darkness spell to counter it. In this case both spells are consumed, leaving any ambient light to illuminate the area.

Lock

Traits: Special Duration, Touch
Lock magically secures any device that already has a mechanical bar or lock present. A Locked device can be opened only by the caster and cannot be picked by mundane means (such as by a thief using lock-picks) since the magic renders the mechanism immobile; however it could still be forced open by breaking the object the lock is set into.

The magic remains in place until opened by the caster or after the caster's maximum POW in days, after which the device must be subject to a further casting of Lock to restore the enchantment. The Magic Point used to cast Lock does not recover until the spell is dismissed or concludes naturally.

Phantasm

Traits: Concentration, Ranged
Phantasm allows the caster to weave together insubstantial or near weightless objects so that they take a shape or ghostly form. Thus a spectral figure could be woven from a naturally occurring mist, or a face formed in a pile of dead leaves. Beyond this the spell has little effect, save to frighten, intrigue or disconcert those that view it.

Sleep

Traits: Resist (Endurance), Touch
Sleep sends its recipient into a deep, peaceful sleep. It has no effect on creatures with a SIZ greater than the caster’s POW. Unless the target resists, it slumbers for a number of hours equal to the half the caster’s POW.

The spell takes 1d3 Rounds to take effect before the target falls unconscious. Any attempt to cast this spell in a combat situation automatically fails.

Vigour

Traits: Touch
Vigour makes the recipient feel alive and energetic, being used to offset the effects of strenuous physical labour. For the spell’s duration, all Fatigue effects gained from laborious activity such as combat are ignored (but return on the spell’s dismissal).

Witchsight

Traits: Ranged, Resist (Willpower)
Witchsight allows the caster to see active magic, bound items, and invisible entities (although such things are simply shadowy representations) that lie within range and line of sight. It can also penetrate illusions or discern the true guise of shapeshifted creatures.

Beings which wish to remain hidden or disguised must win an Opposed Roll of their Willpower versus the casting roll.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

High Magic

The High Magic Skill
The Risk of High Magic
Rewards and Risks of High Magic
Duration of Spells
High Magic Spell Traits
High Magic Spells
High Magic Fumble Table
Elementals
Summoning Elementals
Compelling Elementals
Types of Elementals
Elemental Summoning Fumble Table

A mouse must have a combined POW and INT of at least 32 in order to learn and use High Magic. Those characters that have the necessary POW and INT and experience from a career or backstory start with 1d2+1 High Magic spells. Characters can learn a number of High Magic spells equal to 1/2 their INT, rounded up. Characters with the requisite POW and INT can freely mix Hedge Magic and High Magic (i.e., they can know and cast either or both).

More High Magic spells can be learned. It costs 5 Experience Rolls to learn a new High Magic spell, and takes a month of dedicated study and practice. New spells must be learned from a teacher or a reliable source (such as a scroll or grimoire designed to teach a new spell).

The High Magic Skill

The High Magic skill base percentage is POW + INT. It may be allocated points as with any other skill when allocating skills using the Skill Pyramid method.

High Magic spells are cast, and elementals are summoned, using the High Magic skill. Preparing and casting a spell, or summoning an elemental, requires two Action Points (turns), and a successful High Magic roll. If the roll fails, the spell does not work and must be readied and attempted again later. If the roll succeeds, the spell works and Magic Points are deducted.

If the High Magic roll is a...
• Critical Success: the spell’s Magic Point cost is 1 regardless of level (and see below for a possible increase in POW).
• Success: the caster spends the required Magic Points for desired or required Levels, and the spell works.
• Failure: the caster spends the required Magic Points for the desired or required Levels, but the spell does not work.
• Fumble: the caster spends 1d3 x Level Magic Points, the spell fails, and the caster must roll on one of the High Magic Fumble Tables.

Rewards and Risks of High Magic

A critical success using the High Magic skill means that the wizard has opened themselves to the higher truths of nature, and has the opportunity to draw magical energy from nature itself. If the player wins an opposed roll of their own High Magic skill against their POW x 5, they gain 1d2 points of POW. They gain the same number of Magic Points as gained POW points.

Channeling the necessary nature force required for High Magic through one's body is dangerous. If a High Magic caster fumbles, things could go badly wrong. See High Magic Fumble Table below.

If fumbling High Magic causes a character to drop below a combined POW and INT of 32, they lose the ability to cast High Magic, and must seek to gain POW or INT to regain it. Whether or not they drop below 32 INT+POW, they lose the same number of Magic Points as lost POW points.

Duration of Spells

Unless a spell has either the Concentration or Instant traits it has a natural duration which lasts the entire scene or action for which the spell was used. A few spells have custom durations noted in the spell’s definition.

High Magic Spell Traits

High Magic Spells

Control

Traits: Concentration, Ranged, Resist (Special), MP/Level: 4
Control the thoughts and/or actions of one intelligent being per level. The magician must succeed in an opposed POW x5 (caster) vs. Willpower (target) test against each target. Each level of the spell allows the magician to control one being. This spell cannot be used on unintelligent animals. Each attack is independent (opposed tests made against each target). The magician must concentrate on the spell, using no other spells or doing anything more than moving slowly and speaking briefly, or the targets will simply stand idle.

The magician controls the movements and speech of the target(s). The target cannot speak or perform any voluntary action other than those specified, but if the magician wishes, the target can speak freely or have a limited range of free actions. Having more than one target do different things requires a Willpower roll each combat round to maintain coordination between different targets. If the Willpower test fails, the targets stand idle.

If the target is commanded to perform an action it would normally find objectionable, a Hard Willpower test lets it resist. Success means that the target balks and does not follow the order for one turn, standing still or otherwise idling. Failure means the target performs the action as required. The action can be commanded again in the following turn, with a new Hard Willpower roll. If the action commanded is wholly objectionable, such as murder of an ally, the Willpower test is Easy. If the command is suicidal, the Willpower roll is Very Easy. If the result of the Willpower roll is a critical success, the target breaks free from the Control spell.

Diminish Skill

Traits: Ranged, Resist (Willpower), MP/Level: 3
Cause a target to have one Difficulty Grade harder per Level (maximum 2 Levels/2 Difficulty Grades) to be applied to one skill.

Dispel

Traits: Instant, Ranged, Resist (Special), MP/Level: 3
Dispel or counter the effects of High Magic spells. The level of Dispel used must be equal to or greater than the level of the spell being dispeled. The caster must win in an opposed roll of their High Magic skill against the opposing/original caster's High Magic skill. Note that Dispel High Magic cannot undo effects such as damage done by the Elemental Blast spell. Dispel instantly dispels Hedge Magic spells without requiring an opposed roll.

Elemental Blast

Traits: Instant, Ranged, Resist (Evade), MP/Level: 2
This spell invokes a beam of elemental energy towards a single target. The target takes 1d4 damage per level. Under most circumstances, non-magical armor absorbs the damage. This spell can be Evaded. If Blast is parried with a shield, the shield blocks a random amount of damage (see Shields), with any remainder going to the target. Each form of Elemental Blast is a distinct spell, and must be learned separately.

Air: A visible disruption in the air shoots towards the target.
Fire: A stream of fire shoots from the caster to the target.
Earth: A stream of small rocks, sand, and dust shoots towards the target.
Water: A swirling, boiling stream of water shoots to the target.

Enhance Skill

Traits: Ranged, Resist (Willpower), MP/Level: 3
Cause a target to have one Difficulty Grade easier per Level (maximum 2 Levels/2 Difficulty Grades) to be applied to one skill. If the target knows the spell is being cast (i.e., the caster communicates to the target somehow) and is willing, no Willpower test is required.

Farsight

Traits: Concentration, Ranged (Special), MP/Level: 3
Use this spell to see what is happening in any area within 100 meters of a familiar area, or within 10 meters of an unfamiliar area. This gives full vision and hearing, as if in that area, allowing that point of view to have any mobility they possess, while within the spell’s range. A caster physically near an area within the 10-meter range can cast it into that area, regardless of familiarity. Each level adds another 100/10 meters of range.

Invisibility

Traits: Concentration, Ranged, Resist (Willpower), MP/Level: 2
Turn 3 SIZ per level of an object or another being invisible. Items or living beings cannot be turned partially invisible, though components can if the object consists of more than one “piece”. The magician must concentrate on the spell and must do no more than walk or speak to maintain the invisibility. Fighting, taking injury, using another power, performing some athletic maneuver, or similar distractions break the effects and end the spell.

Attacks against an invisible character or object are made at a Formidable Difficulty Grade; similarly, attempting to parry an attack from someone invisible is Formidable. This power does not stop sound or other sensory clues from the target, and successful use of the Perception skill reduces the Difficulty Grade of attacks and parries to Hard.

If one knows the spell is being cast on them and they're amenable, they need not resist; otherwise, an opposed Willpower test is used.

An invisible being (not the caster, who must be concentrating) can move, attack, flee, or stand still while the spell is active. Invisibility can be dispelled by the caster at any time, though starting it again requires another casting.

Illusion (Type)

Traits: Ranged, Resist (Perception), MP/Level: 2

Illusions are immobile unless the caster concentrates on the illusion to the exclusion of all else. Those witnessing (hearing, smelling, seeing) an illusion may attempt to detect the falsehood using an opposed Perception roll.

Illusions can be used to mislead or terrify opponents, or entrap them. Disguising walls, concealing traps, concealing (or creating) the smell of burning or rot, creating frightening wailing sounds, or the sounds of running water (or concealing those sounds) are just a few examples.

Auditory Illusions

Create or conceal a sound of the caster's choice. Level in this case roughly corresponds to how loud the sound is, and what range it can be heard or concealed from.

Scent Illusions

Create or conceal a smell of the caster's choice. Level in this case roughly corresponds to how strong the smell is, and what range it can be smelled or concealed from.

Visual Illusions

Create the image of up to 3 SIZ points of an object or creature per Level. This is visual only, with no sound, scent, touch, or taste. If touched, it remains but is insubstantial.

Mindspeech

Traits: Ranged, Resist (Willpower), MP/Level: 2
Use this spell to speak to one other mind per level. Only surface conversation or feelings are transmitted, and the target may need to make an Insight roll to understand if not traditionally intelligent. Language is not a barrier to this spell, however. Multiple targets of the spell cannot communicate to each other using this spell, though casting Mindspeech Level 1 on a target, lets them communicate with one other mind.

Restore Health

Traits: Instant, Touch, MP/Level: 4
Heal 1d6 + 3 Hit Points of damage per spell Level. Restore Health will reverse the effects of one Major Wound if cast within 6 hours of receiving the wound.

If a character died in the same or previous round that the Restore spell is cast, they are brought back from the brink of death, gaining 1 Hit Point and remaining unconscious.

Summon Elemental (Type)

Traits: Special Duration, MP/Level: Special
Summon one elemental of a type known to the caster. Summoning an elemental costs 4 Magic Points. The caster may demand one service from the elemental, after which it will depart back to its plane of origin. The duration of the service is either instant, i.e., the elemental takes the action demanded of it and then immediately departs, or it can last for the length of situation or scene, such as combat.

To compel an elemental into long term service, a caster must engage the elemental in a negotiation that takes 1d4 + 2 rounds, at the end of which the caster rolls POW x 4. If successful, the elemental is bound for the negotiated length of time, up to one year. The caster must sacrifice a Magic Point for the duration of the compelled service. See Compelling Elementals for more details.

Teleport

Traits: Instant, Ranged (Special), Resist (Special), MP/Level: 2
Instantaneously teleport 3 SIZ per level from its current location to another place within POW x 10 x Level meters. The object or being to be teleported must be within POW meters of the caster. Only complete objects can be teleported; it is impossible to teleport a part of a living being or whole object away (i.e., enough Levels must be used to transport at least the SIZ of the object or being). If an object is not directly affixed or attached to another object, it can be teleported. For example, a gun could be teleported out of a holster, but an engine could not be teleported out of a car.

Living beings being teleported can resist if desired, using Willpower. Teleporting a living being into a solid object or material (such as dropping them into the ground underneath them) affords them an Easy Willpower test to resist being teleported. If they fail, they can use a Luck point to deflect the Teleport spell.

Fumbling with the Teleport spell can be extremely dangerous.

Vision of the Past

Traits: Concentration, Ranged (Special), MP/Level: 4
The caster is able to "see" (and hear) events that have transpired in the past within 100 meters of the caster, for up to 1 day in the past per level.

High Magic Fumble Table

Elementals

Nature is the source of all magic, and elementals are nature embodied in physical form. The elemental facets of nature are air, earth, fire, and water. The "opposite" or opposed elements have a natural antipathy towards each other, and High Magic practitioners cannot learn to summon and wield opposed elementals. This naturally restricts High Magic users to two types of elementals.

Air and earth are each others' opposites, and thus are opposed against each other. Similarly, fire and water are opposites and thus are opposed. For example, if a wizard learns to summon air elementals, they may also learn to summon fire or water elementals, but not earth elementals.

The High Magic skill is used to summon elementals, although each type of elemental must be learned as any other High Magic spell (either at character creation or at the cost of 5 Experience Rolls).

When summoned to the physical plane, elementals have Hit Points and the ability to wield powers inherent to their own element. An elemental's Hit Points will be equal to the Caster's POW at the time summoning starts. Elementals on the physical plane do not regain Hit Points; whether called on for one service or compelled, when their Hit Points are brought to 0 or below they immediately return to their plane of origin.

Elementals are susceptible to weapons and magic (but, see specific details for each type of elemental).

Elementals have two Action Points.

Commanding an elemental takes one Action Point; the elemental takes their action on the caster's next turn, whether that's in the current or the next round. For situations where the elemental will be repeatedly acting across multiple rounds, it will continue to act on the summoner's initiative.

Summoning Elementals

Like other High Magic spells, summoning an elemental requires two Action Points. Successfully summoning an elemental allows the caster to demand one service from the elemental, unless it is to be compelled into longer service. The duration of the service is either "one time", i.e., the elemental takes the action demanded of it and then departs, or it can last for the length of a situation or scene, such as combat.

If fumbling the Summon Elemental spell causes a character to drop below a combined POW and INT of 32, they lose the ability to cast High Magic, and must seek to gain POW or INT to regain it. Whether or not they drop below 32 INT+POW, they lose the same number of Magic Points as lost POW points.

Compelling Elementals

Elementals can be compelled to serve for a longer period of time; this can last up to one year. In this case, the elemental is bound into an object or location of the caster's choosing.

To compel an elemental into long term service, a caster must engage a successfully summoned elemental in a negotiation that takes 1d4 + 2 rounds, at the end of which the caster rolls POW x 4. If successful, the elemental is bound for the negotiated length of time, up to one year.

A compelled elemental may be commanded to inhabit the object or location, and will answer a demand of service four times per day. If asked for a service a fifth time in a day, the elemental will perform the service; however, the caster must roll on the Elemental Summoning Fumble Table, and the elemental departs for its plane of origin.

Compelling an elemental for any amount of time requires the sacrifice of one Magic Point, for the duration of the elemental's compelled service. If this drops combined POW and INT below 32, the caster loses the ability to cast High Magic (including elemental summoning), although they can still command any elementals they have compelled.

A summoner can maintain up to INT / 5 (round up) compelled elementals. They are free to summon more elementals if they demand one service of them. However, if they attempt to compel an elemental into long term service when they're at their limit, they must immediately roll on the Elemental Summoning Fumble Table, and regardless of the outcome, they fall unconscious.

Transferring Compelled Elementals

A High Magician can voluntarily give an elemental that's bound into an object to someone else. In order for the recipient to command the bound elemental for the duration of negotiated service, the recipient must roll their own POW x 4. If they fail, they must immediately roll on the Elemental Summoning Fumble Table, and the elemental in question is released after the effects of the roll take place.

Types of Elementals

Players can invent powers for their summoned elementals, although the Game Runner should work with the player to ensure that the new powers are thematically and narratively appropriate, and not so powerful that they would unbalance play. Players should keep in mind that the Game Runner is the final arbiter of rules.

Sylphids - Air Elementals

Sylphids appear as a shimmering in the air, sometimes morphing in and out of a small, vaguely humanoid form with a whitish blue aura.

Air elementals can:

• Move objects or material of up to 2 points of SIZ for 1d8 minutes
• Attempt to divert ranged weapons (arrows, spears, bolts, etc.) from a target, applying one Difficulty Grade against the attacker's roll
• Improve a target's ranged weapon attacks by one Difficulty Grade
• Create a vaccuum around one target, causing asphyxiation if the target requires air; this attack skill is the caster's POW x 3, each turn
• Send an earth elemental back to its plane of origin; this action does the same to the Sylphid, whether or not it's compelled

Golems - Earth Elementals

Golems appear as small humanoids made of earth and stone.

Earth elementals can:

• Attack with their fists; their attack skill is the caster's POW x 3; a successful attack causes 2d6 points of damage
• Lift and carry as much weight as a large beast of burden such as a draft beetle
• Pass through earth and stone works, such as walls
• Crumble or weaken an area of 1/2 square meters of earth or stone each round
• Send an air elemental back to its plane of origin; this action does the same to the Golem, whether or not it's compelled

Scintilla - Fire Elementals

Scintilla appear as a live flame floating in the air, sometimes becoming a small humanoid form with a fiery yellow-orange aura.

Fire elementals can:

• Attack by throwing a burst of flame, which does 2d6 points of damage; their attack skill is the caster's POW x 3; range is the caster's POW in meters
• Set flammable things on fire - not immediately, but more quickly than with an open flame
• Provide enough ambient light to see in a small area
• Merge with a metal weapon, causing an additional 1d4 fire damage
• Send a water elemental back to its plane of origin; this action does the same to the Scintilla, whether or not it's compelled

Naiads - Water Elementals

Naiads appear as a glistening, foating orb of water, sometimes shifting in and out of a small, vaguely humanoid shape with a blue-green aura.

Water elementals can:

• Transport objects or material of up to 2 points of SIZ through water for 1d8 minutes
• Cause drowning, whether or not the target is in water; this effect is the same as asphyxiation; the attack skill is the caster's POW x 3, each turn
• Extinguish small fires
• Provide enough water for several beings to drink
• Send a fire elemental back to its plane of origin; this action does the same to the Naiad, whether or not it's compelled

Elemental Summoning Fumble Table

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Portions based on Chaosium's ORC-licensed Basic Roleplaying.

Binding

The Binding Skill
Binding Hedge Magic Into Objects
   Binding Requirements
   The Binding Process
The Cost of Binding
Using Bound Objects

Binding is a rare magical discipline that allows a practitioner to permanently imbue objects with Hedge Magic spells. Once successfully Bound, the spell may be used by anyone in posession of the object (although they must know how, and must have the necessary Magic Points to spend in order to cast the Bound spell).

Binding is not without cost to the caster: Binding requires the caster to permanently sacrifice POW points.

To learn and use Binding, a character must have a combined POW and INT of at least 36, have the Hedge Magic skill, and know at least one Bindable Hedge Magic spell.

Those characters that have the necessary POW and INT, and experience, from a career or backstory may start with the Binding skill and the required Hedge Magic.

It costs 7 Experience Rolls to learn Binding, and takes 3 months of dedicated study and practice. Binding must be learned from a teacher or a reliable source (such as a scroll or grimoire designed to teach it).

The Binding Skill

The Binding skill base percentage is POW + INT. It may be allocated points as with any other skill when allocating skills using the Skill Pyramid method. Binding is performed using the Binding skill.

Binding Hedge Magic Into Objects

Not all Hedge Magic spells can be bound - see the Hedge Magic Spell Table.

Binding Requirements

1. The caster must have a combined POW and INT of at least 36.
2. The caster must know the Hedge Magic spell being bound.
3. The caster must be at their current maximum Magic Points to Bind.
4. The object used as the Binding point must be non-organic (or organic in a semi-permanent material state such as petrified wood).

The Binding Process

The caster must meditate, communing with nature away from any structures or mechanical devices, for 1d8+3 hours. The caster must touch the object to be bound the entire time they are meditating on nature and the specific Hedge Magic spell they intend to Bind. They must not be disturbed during this time, or they lose 1d8 Magic Points (recoverable normally) and fall unconscious; the intended object will develop a flaw making it unsuitable for Binding in the future.

At the conclusion of this meditation, the caster rolls their Bind skill. If they succeed, they successfully Bind the Hedge Magic spell into the object. If they fail, they permanently lose the Magic Points intended to be used in the Binding, and fall unconscious. As with being disturbed during preparatory meditation, the intended object will develop a flaw making it unsuitable for Binding in the future.

A caster may use a Luck Point to attempt to roll again in case of failure; however, in this case the Luck Point used is permanently sacrificed whether or not the re-roll succeeds.

If the Bind roll is a fumble, the caster must roll on the Binding Spell Fumble Table and suffer the results.

Binding Spell Fumble Table

The Cost of Binding

The creator of a Bound object is forging a part of their own being together with the force of nature into an object that will afterwards contain both, and exercise both to effect a change in reality. Creation of such a thing is a serious undertaking, and requires intention and personal sacrifice from the caster. This sacrifice - of Magic Points - is extracted from the caster whether they succeed or fail.

The caster has a choice of how the Bound object will be used; the more Magic Points they sacrifice at the time of Binding, the fewer Magic Points will be required by the user of the Bound object for each casting.

Using Bound Objects

To use it, the owner must understand the procedure for casting a Hedge Magic spell via a Bound object. This procedure is loosely the same for any Bound item; the user must understand which spell it has Bound, and a rough idea of the effects. Once these are known, the process of invoking the spell and spending the required Magic Points is difficult to describe but easily enough achieved.

To invoke the Bound Hedge Magic spell, the user must roll their POW x 2. On a critical success, the spell succeeds and no Magic Points are spent. On a normal success, the spell succeeds and the required Magic Points are spent. On a failure, the spell is not cast, and the required Magic Points are spent. On a fumble, or if the user doesn't have the required number of Magic Points, the user must roll on the Bound Object use Fumble Table.

The user may improve their chances by spending twice the required Magic Points, increasing the test to POW x 3.

Bound Object Use Fumble Table

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

The Mouse's World

In Casus Mus, only a few species are sentient. Mice, rats, squirrels, other small rodents, large birds (corvids, most birds of prey), large snakes, some lizards, and cats are intelligent.

Raccoons, possums, and some other medium sized rodents are sentient but very primitive. For example, they have limited speech and they do not build or organize with the same level of sophistication that mice do.

Small birds, skunks, some lizards, and other animals are essentially beasts. Some are tamed as beasts of burden or mounts.

Many creatures view mice as fair game - in other words, food. This includes fully sentient creatures such as rats, large birds, and cats. Many of these same creatures are happy to have alliances or trading relationships with mice, but if they're hungry and there's no better option, mice start to look like a good snack. The world is a dangerous place indeed.

This is not to say that mice are timid victims. On the contrary - mice are fierce and can be brutal. Nature does not reward the cowardly with survival. Mice do not shrink from conflict. A common mouse adage is "the bigger the fur, the harder the fall."

Mouse culture has long allowed differences to be settled with force. In more refined mouse societies, this might be called duelling. In others it might be called trial by combat. It's often known as "the trial of teeth and tail", which is the mouse tradition of unarmed, unarmored hand-to-hand fights as a way to settle conflicts. These contests are not always to the death. Not always.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Casus Mus Bestiary

NPC/Creature Skill Levels

Rat

SIZ: 4d6 + 12 (26)
CON: 2d6 + 9 (16)
Hit Points: 21
Action Points: 2
Damage Modifier: +1d6
Magic Points: 12
Initiative Bonus: +12
Move: 8m

Skills
Athletics, Brawn, Customs, Endurance, Evade, Insight, Locale, Lore (Herding), Perception, Unarmed, Willpower

Combat Styles
Rat Fighter
  Unarmed, Club/1H Spear/Longsword, Bark/Tin/Plastic Shield, Sling/Bow/Javelin.

  Club: Size M, 1d6 + 1d6, 4/4
  1H Spear: Size M, 1d8 + 1 + 1d6, 4/5
  Longsword: Size M, 1d8 + 1d6, 6/12
  Sling: Force L, 1d8, 10/150/300, Load 2 turns
  Bow: Force L, 1d8 + 1d6, 15/100/200, Load 1 turn
  Javelin: Force H, 1d8 + 1 + 1d6, 10/20/50

Magic
25% have 1d3 spells; roll from the Hedge Magic Workshop table.

Raccoon

SIZ:
CON:
Hit Points:
Action Points:
Damage Modifier:
Initiative Bonus:
Move: 18m

Skills

Combat Styles

Magic

Possum

SIZ:
CON:
Hit Points:
Action Points:
Damage Modifier:
Initiative Bonus:
Move: 16m

Skills

Combat Styles

Magic

Cat

SIZ:
CON:
Hit Points:
Action Points:
Damage Modifier:
Initiative Bonus:
Move: 18m

Skills

Combat Styles

Magic

Squirrel

SIZ: 4d6 + 6 (21)
CON: 2d6 + 9 (16)
Hit Points: 19
Action Points: 2
Damage Modifier: +1d4
Magic Points: 12
Initiative Bonus: +12
Move: 8m

Skills

Combat Styles

Magic

Wolf Spider

SIZ: 2d4 + 3 (8)
CON: 2d4 + 3 (8)
Hit Points: 8
Action Points: 2
Damage Modifier: -
Magic Points: -
Initiative Bonus: +10
Move: 10m

Skills
Athletics, Brawn, Endurance, Evade, Perception, Stealth, Willpower

Combat Styles
Arachnid Terror
  Teeth: 1d6, Reach Touch, Size L
  Legs: Automatic Grip Combat Maneuver, Reach L, Size L

Magic
None.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

The Hill: Pax Rodentia

History of the Hill
Lands of the Hill
Factions on the Hill
Borders and the Land Beyond

The Hill is a vast country of mice. It has settled lands and frontiers, badlands and oases. On the Hill mice can be peaceful farmers, stealthy hunters, brave soldiers, wily politicians, intrepid adventurers, or greedy treasure hunters.

For generations, the mice of the Hill have lived in relative peace: farming, raising their young, brewing and building and prospering. According to the wise old Mole Friends (the Hill's historians and enchanters) the Hill used to be a single kingdom, ruled by the kings and queens of Mus Muridae, the royal family. The Great Uprising was a chaotic time of upheaval as the long-suffering mice on the Hill overthrew the monarchy and sought a new way.

The survivors of the Great Uprising realized that they must cooperate or perish. They designed a form of government wherein representatives from each region of the Hill would meet in a rules making body: the Grand Committee. The Grand Committee decides on rules that provide for the greatest good possible for the majority of the mice on the Hill. Not everyone is happy with every rule, but mostly things work; there is peace and safety for those that want it, and adventure for those who crave it.

This is Pax Rodentia - the time of peace on the Hill.

History of the Hill

I. The Kingdom: House Mus Muridae

Far in the past, the Hill was a wild land ruled by warlords and bandit chieftans. Generations of mice lived under a series of brutal petty tyrants, each in turn deposed by another with better luck or a larger army.

By and by, one family rose in power until they were able to consolidate all of the competing factions under one banner: House Mus Muridae, founded by the warrior king, Stiffbristle Mus Muridae.

For many generations the knights and ladies of Mus Muridae ruled the Hill. They established agriculture and animal husbandry on the Central Hill, building wealth and centralizing power in a few mouse families.

I.I The Noble Families

The Mus Muridae allowed several other families to rise in wealth and prominence, each controlling some resource or area of the Central Hill.

House Whiskerton

The mice of House Whiskerton were the elite guard for the Mus Muridae. Soldiers, knights, and most importantly the Royal Lizard Cavalry were the domain of House Whiskerton. The bannermen of House Whiskerton fought alongside Mus Muridae almost from as far back as their history goes, and they were always trusted allies.

House Silvertail

Fearsome warriors and duellists, the Silvertails were Sparrow Riders. They bred, raised, trained, and rode the Royal Sparrows to victory in the Mus Muridae cause.

House Furrowbrook

Furrowbrook mice were healers and expert practitioners of Hedge Magic. They were loved as a benevolent and generous family - mice would often petition the lords and ladies of House Furrowbrook to advocate for them when in some kind of peril.

House Grayclaw

House Grayclaw hoarded knowledge of Elemental magic, and were widely regarded as being haughty and arrogant. Some rumors still persist that Grayclaw fancied themselves the true masters of the Hill, and only tolerated Mus Muridae for their organizational and bureaucratic skills.

House Stonefur

The lords and ladies of House Stonefur were the stewards of ancient knowledge and history of the Hill. They were often sent on diplomatic missions to other lands and kingdoms, and were known to be on good terms with various squirrel, rat, bird, and lizard settlements and factions.

House Thornpaw

House Thornpaw were known and feared as the masters of High Magic and Binding. Thornpaw kept their own citadel on the border between the Central Hill and the Eastern Ridge, a place modest mousefolk feared to visit.

House Wildhaven

Wildhaven were far-ranging scouts, explorers, and travelers. Wildhaven lords and ladies were often seen as protectors of the land, keeping watch across the bordering regions of the Hill.

II. Unrest on the Hill

III. The Uprising

IV. Aftermath and Rebuilding

V. Pax Rodentia

Lands of The Hill

The Hill consists of four states: the Western Hill, the Central Hill, the Eastern Ridge, and the Eastern Forest.

The Western Hill

The Western Hill is a frontier land - there are dangerous bands of rats, settlements of squirrel traders (and squirrel brigands), and one or two human camps. The eastern part of the Western Hill has permanent and semi permanent settlements, mostly found between the Line (a geographic feature of the Western Hill) and the West-Central Ridge. There are fortunes to be made on the Western Hill for those brave and clever enough to survive the dangers.

Crooktail Fort

Crooktail Fort is the only permanent mouse settlement west of the Line on the Western Hill. There are a handful of semi-permanent villages beyond the Line, one or two of them growing enough that they'll soon be needing permanent walls and buildings.

The Fort is a trading post - mainly with squirrel traders, although there's some trade with rats and crows. There's new inventions like crossbows and fermented grain coming through the Fort, which is of much interest to the mice of the Grand Committee.

The Central Hill

The Central Hill is a far-flung, lush region of farmland and villages. It has the most settlements on the Hill, and most of the banking and political power. The Central Hill farms have historically been the source of most wealth on the Hill, although trade with squirrels in the Western Hill is starting to bring in new inventions and luxury items such as fermented grain, and there is worry among the powerful mice of the Central Hill.

The Eastern Ridge

To the east of the Central Hill is the Eastern Ridge. The villages of the Eastern Ridge are quiet and solemn. Most mice of the Eastern Ridge are members of the Great Hawk Church. Followers of the Church leave their dead on platforms to be taken to their celestial reward by the Great Hawk¹. The Eastern Ridge folk are valued for their talents in carpentry and metalworking, and are often hired to build structures or to manufacture tools or weapons. Otherwise not much is known about the Eastern Ridge, as most outsiders have heard rumors that they're better off not being on the Eastern Ridge after dark.

The Eastern Forest

The Eastern Forest is a chaotic land with several mice warlords, each with their warbands and followers. They spend most of their time trying to kill and steal from each other, but occasionally they'll go raiding on the Eastern Ridge or even into the easternmost settlements in the Central Hill. It is not known whether there are permanent settlements in the Eastern Forest.

Factions On The Hill

The Grand Committee

The Grand Committee is made up of representatives from the lands of the Hill known as Grand Mice. They meet four times each year at meetings called Conclaves.

• The Dark Conclave (in winter, on the shortest day of the year)
• The Uprising Conclave (commemorating the Great Uprising, on the first day of spring)
• The Light Conclave (in summer, on the longest day of the year)
• The Sleepy Conclave (on the first day of autumn)

The Conclaves are split into two activities, which correspond to two of the three recognized authorities of the Grand Committee: settling disputes and making rules. Both disputes and rules are settled by a simple majority vote. If a vote is a stalemate, the dispute or rule is postponed for another vote until the next Conclave¹ unless it is a matter of mobilizing the Grand Hill Protection Militia for the security of the Hill.

Voting is carried out by standing on one or the other side of a line drawn into the ground.

The third authority of the Grand Committee is to mobilize the Grand Hill Protection Militia in case of a threat to the security of the Hill.

Authority of the Grand Committee to Settle Disputes

Individuals or groups that have disagreements can make their arguments before the Grand Committee, and must accept the ruling. While there is no penalty or crime assigned to ignoring a Grand Committee dispute ruling, the community will generally treat such behavior with de facto exclusion from social activities and commerce.

One party in a dispute is randomly chosen to make their arguments first. Each party in a dispute is given a total of 3 minutes to make their arguments. Grand Mice can ask questions after the arguments are made.

Authority of the Grand Committee to Make Rules

The Grand Committee has the authority to create rules, which all mice on the Hill must follow. In practice creation of rules is rare, and it is not unusual for a Conclave to pass with no rule making.

Presentation of rules for discussion can be made my anyone, but a simple majority vote of the Grand Mice must succeed after the rule is presented or it will not be discussed. The discussion period for a rule cannot exceed 1 hour. The unwritten but well known rule is that no Grand Mouse shall talk about a rule for more than 10 minutes. It is exceedingly rare that anyone other than Grand Mice discuss rules once they have been presented to the Grand Committee.

Authority of the Grand Committee to Mobilize the GHPM

When the Hill is threatened, any 15 Grand Mice can call on any GHPM squads that can be contacted, and order them to resolve the threat.

Representation in the Grand Committee

The Western Hill, Central Hill, and Eastern Ridge are represented in the Grand Committee by anywhere from 20 to 30 Grand Mice, the chosen or most powerful representatives of those lands. The Eastern Forest is not yet organized or stable enough to select and send Grand Mice to the Grand Committee.

The Grand Mice

Grand Mice are supposed to act for the benefit of all mice on the Hill, and not to decide disputes or rules in ways that would directly benefit themselves or their close family. In practice, minor bribery and favoritism is common, and Grand Mice are only removed from the Grand Committee if they obviously or ostentatiously benefit from otherwise typical corruption.

The Grand Hill Protection Militia

The Grand Hill Protection Militia (GHPM) is a semi-volunteer pseudo-military faction on the Hill. It is headquartered in and mostly loyal to the Central Hill. Every time a mouse family has a brood, one pup is automatically conscripted to the GHPM (once at a suitable age). Conscripts must serve one full season (four Conclaves), after which they may decide to stay with the GHPM or return to their nest to carry on as they see fit.

The GHPM is referred to by civilians in the Central Hill as the Protection; in the Western Hill and Eastern Ridge it is called (with some sarcasm) the Militia; and when it's acknowledged in the Eastern Forest at all, it's typically called the Filth.

GHPM Legions

The GHPM has two Legions: the Central Hill Legion and the Western Hill Legion. The Grand Committee would like to create an Eastern Forest Legion, but so far the idea has been treated with laughter both from civilians and from current members of the GHPM. Nobody talks about a Legion for the Eastern Ridge. The mice of the Great Hawk Church take care of themselves.

The Central Hill Legion

The Central Hill Legion primarily protects the Central Hill banks and food shipments from the Central Hill farms to various Hill villages. It is organized into squads of 5 - 10 mice, each assigned to a bank or food route. More than one squad may be assigned to a single bank or route. Some squads travel with the food shipments, and some stand guard at checkpoints along main trails across the Hill.

Central Hill Legion mice draw a monthly salary of (some number of flakes), and their families are entitled to a monthly share of food from the Central Hill farms.

The Western Hill Legion (The Rangers)

The Western Hill Legion formed when some squads from the Central Hill Legion decided they'd had enough petty inter-squad squabbling and lit out for the frontier. They started calling themselves Rangers and continued to draw salaries, mainly by "politely" "asking" Central Hill Squads for flakes when they ran into them. The Central Hill Grand Mice harrumphed a bit, but realized that the Western Hill needed a Legion anyway, so they started officially paying out flakes.

The Western Hill Legion is made up entirely of volunteers rather than conscripts. At first, new Rangers joined by abandoning their Central Hill Legion squads and heading west, but more and more they're mice raised on the Western Hill frontier.

The Rangers are mainly responsible for protecting settlements and explorers on the Western Hill from squirrel, rat, and mouse banditry. Unlike the Central Hill Legion, the Rangers aren't organized into squads. Some Rangers work alone, and some work in ad-hoc bands that individuals float in and out of. The Western Hill is a wild frontier land, and the Rangers do what they have to do. Rangers tend to be tougher and more battle tested than Central Hill Legionnaires.

Western Hill Legion mice draw a monthly salary of (less than Central Hill Legion mice). Rangers' families don't get a food share from the Central Hill farms, and some Rangers are not happy about that.

Squirrels of the Hill

Squirrel Traders

Squirrel Bandits

Rats of the Hill

The Church of the Great Hawk

The Church of the Great Hawk (usually just "the Church") is a somber and mysterious religion. To outsiders, they talk about the peace of eternal flight - the celestial reward that all Church members are gifted with if they are placed overnight on a funereal platform in one of several locations on the Eastern Ridge.

One of the most important characteristics of Church members is skill in building; this reflects the Great Hawk's value of building a secure nest. All Church mice train in carpentry, building, or metalworking crafts.

Claws and the Grand Talon

Priests of the Great Hawk are called Claws. The Grand Talon is the high priest of the Church.

Claws must be master builders or metalsmiths, and will often manage a crew of Church craftsmen operating in other parts of the Hill for flakes or trade goods.

Eastern Forest Warlords

Borders Of The Hill And The Lands Beyond

To the North

The lands north of the Hill seem to be suitable for expansion, but every settler group has disappeared. There are rumors of survivors who tell wild tales of poison, great beasts, evil humans, and madness.

To the West

West of the Western Hill are unknown badlands. As the Western Hill population grows, lands to the west start to look more and more interesting to explorers.

The West-Central Ridge

The West-Central Ridge is the border between the Western Hill and the Central Hill. The Grand Committee has a permanent meeting hall on the West-Central Ridge; this is where the four annual Conclaves of the Grand Committee take place.

Borders of the Eastern Ridge

The Eastern Ridge has rough, poorly defined borders with the Central Ridge and the Eastern Forest. The folk of the Great Hawk Church tend to not pay much attention to these borders, as nobody seems to try expansion into their state.

To the East

The Eastern Forest is so unfriendly and dangerous to outsiders that nobody really knows how far it extends to the east, or what is beyond.

To the South: The Great Road

South of the Western Hill and Central Hill is the Great Road ¹. Beyond it are badlands known to be filled with cats and humans. If there are mice south of the Great Road, nobody on the Hill knows about them. Some squirrel traders tell tales of vast food supplies, and many have maps to these hoards that they're happy to sell to any mouse with the flakes. The road itself is known as a death trap for the foolish.

To the South: South of the Eastern Ridge and Eastern Forest

South of the eastern lands are unexplored badlands. The Eastern Ridge folk don't like to talk about what is beyond their borders, and the Eastern Forest mice are as likely to put a dagger in your throat as talk about anything.

Families of the Hill

Mice are mostly modest, simple folk - they have honorable professions and are proud of their families.
Some though, are touched by the history of the Hill, and are descended from the old noble families of the Hill... whether they hide it or flout it.

You can try your luck to see if your ancestors were nobles, or use one of your Hero Advantages to ensure that they were.

To see if you come from nobility simply by the luck of the draw, roll 1d100 and consult the following table:

Noble Family Table

Noble Family Benefits and Challenges

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Resources

About Mythras
Mouse Names
Magic Workshop
Online Resources

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

About Mythras and Mythras Imperative

Mythras is¹ the most refined version of the BRP²/D100 family of RPGs. With a lineage from RuneQuest, Call of Cthulhu, Stormbringer, etc., Mythras is a flexible RPG toolkit that’s been adapted to settings from ancient Rome, Britain, Babylon, and more, to space opera and superheroes (it’s even been adapted to everyone’s favorite old school dungeon crawling setting). Multiple magic/powers systems and gritty, dangerous combat are hallmarks of D100 RPGs, and Mythras has some of the best on offer.

Mythras Imperative is an ORC-licensed, slimmed down version of the Mythras ruleset. It has most of what one needs to start building new RPGs.

Casus Mus is based on Mythras Imperative, and is thus also ORC-licensed³. This site intends to provide all of the necessary rules to play the Casus Mus roleplaying game.

What's Good About Mythras?

Like most RPGs in the BRP D100 family:

• Mythras is skill-based, classless, and does not have levels. Most action resolution mechanisms in Mythras use skills. Characters can be crafted using setting, background or backstory, culture, profession or career, and the player's imagination.
  
• Hit points do not, in general, increase as characters improve. This means that combat always has consequences, and a lucky novice can be just as dangerous as a seasoned warrior.
• Character improvement happens through skill improvement and acquiring new skills and powers.

Perhaps the most compelling thing about the Mythras system¹ is its combat system and the action economy.

Mythras uses an active defense combat system, where someone being attacked has the opportunity to take actions to defend themselves. Contrast this with a passive defense combat system, where success or failure of an attack is based on the attacker's actions, and the defender has no opportunity to affect the outcome.

Some Mythras combat system concepts are:

• Combat Styles: Skills representing a set of weapons and fighting techniques; Combat Styles may be learned through one’s culture or career, or may be learned as a hobby. Combat Styles are the skills used by attackers and defenders in combat.
• Combat Style Traits: Think of these as static feats, unlocked by the particular training involved in a Combat Style. Combat Style Traits grant Combat Styles advantages under specific circumbstances. For example, the Mounted Combat Trait allows a character to ignore the skill cap ordinarily placed on combat rolls by the Ride skill.
• Combat Maneuvers⁴: Think of these as dynamic feats, unlocked by a level of success of one opponent over another. Combat Maneuvers include things like disarming, tripping, stunning, or pressing an advantage to prevent an opponent from taking other actions.

Mythras' action economy allows characters a certain number of Action Points each combat round; these are spent in proactive or reactive actions, and allow a character to do more than one thing in a single combat round.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Mouse Names

Want a random name? Roll twice with anydice - click Roller, enter 2 in the field to the left of the Roll button, click the Roll button!.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Magic Workshop

Hedge Magic

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.

Online Resources

Combat Styles Encyclopedia

At over 1000 pages, this is an incredible resource with hundreds of Combat Styles and Combat Traits.

Notes From Pavis page on the Combat Style Enceclopedia for Mythras

Shared Combat Style Encyclopedia

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.