The Maiden Saga: Role Playing Game (4 page)

Trolls can interbreed with humans and some even consider the Aeg to have troll blood, although it is best not to mention this. Very occasionally trolls are used for erotic entertainment or punishment, but this is considered an outrage except in Ythan, where they are determined that troll/human crosses will make ideal slave labour and shock troops. So far they have had little success, but that doesn't stop them trying.

 

Goblins – ugly, green troglodytes about two feet tall. They feed on subterranean animals and detritus, living in extensive systems of burrows in remote woodland. Most peoples shun goblins, but they are cunning are hard to catch. The Makeans use them for entertainment.

There are no female goblins, while the male is equipped with a monstrous green penis out of all proportion to his body. This he employs with a will on any hapless human girl who succumbs to the rich musk he exudes, which is so strong and so powerful that one deep breath will render even the purest high-born lady of Mund helpless with desire. Should this fate befall a girl she will eventually give birth to a dozen or so goblin imps, which is one good reason they wear chastity girdles.

 

 

Nymphs – nymphs are exquisitely beautiful but almost brainless things of small size but human proportions. They are shy and generally keep to deep woodland, but they are also curious and quite easily caught. There is extensive trade in nymphs.

Nymph/Human crosses are infertile, but they still play an important part in Ythan breeding programs, the idea being to produce a pleasure slave as beautiful and compliant as a nymph but larger and intelligent enough to follow instructions. Elsewhere, nymphs are occasionally used as erotic companions. Nymphs exude a musk similar to that of goblins but much weaker, which is widely used as an aphrodisiac.

 

Ogres – are related to trolls, but even larger and carnivorous. They have been hunted almost to extinction, but a few survive in remote mountain areas.

Ogres usually think of their belly first and their sexual appetite second, but you might be really unlucky.

 

Beasts – horses, dogs, baboons, red and black apes, camels, elephants and ostriches are all mentioned in the books and may be brought into the game as needed.

 

 

Antagonisms & Alliances

 

Some peoples get on better than others. Much of this can be deduced from the above, but a few details from the books will help...

 

Attitude to slavery is important. In Aeg, Mund, and Aprina it is an abomination. In Hai it is acceptable. In Ythan, Makea, Oretes and Vendjome it is taken for granted.

Trade is important. Major routes are between Mund and Hai; Hai, Aprina and Ythan; Ythan and Vendjome; Makea and Vendjome. Any minor route is possible, but geography should be taken into account.

Skirmishes between Aeg and Mund are commonplace, but always small scale. They occasionally intermarry.

Both Aeg and Mund raid Hai.

The Aprinians are defensive.

The Vendjomois and Oreteans are at war more often than not.

Everybody hates the Makeans.

 

 

The Wilds

 

A great deal of land lies outside the control of the eight main peoples...

 

In the north of Apraya are a few Dwarven cities, more towns and villages inhabited by peoples of mixed blood. The coast is sparsely populated except for Port Ergan, where Hai goods come in.

The two great deserts are home only to the occasional outcast.

The Glissade Mountains, south of Vendjome, are inhabited by hardy, pragmatic hillmen.

The Viridian Coast, south of Aprina, and the interior of Cypraea is thick jungle and sparsely inhabited by related tribes.

 

 

Names

 

In the books each people has its own system of naming, but the basic rules are...

 

Aeg use a single name. The higher your status the longer your name. Yi is the daughter of the dung gatherer, Fo. Iriel is a seamstress. Kavastarion is a Prince.

Mund use a more complicated version of the same system, supplemented by private names. The Demoiselle Elethrine Korismund is called Pommette by her nurse, Ethrine at court and Trina to insult her.

Hai names are short and expressive. Ulor is a beast master, Elmaea a grand lady, Kroth a hero. Honorifics and descriptives are only used among the military, priesthood and nobility.

In Ythan a single name is generally followed by your calling; Bormontal the Nymph Breeder, Kenion the Pimp. The commonest suffixes are –al and -an.

The Makeans use single names, often long, with honorifics to distinguish the two upper classes. Moloa is a wrestler, the Elite Assivetes an Admiral, the Exquisite Ulourdos nephew to the king.

Oreteans use a single name unless of high rank, in which case the house name comes first. Honorifics are used at middle rank. Armedes is a sailor, Madame Hivies runs a brothel, Palades Sulden is a Princess. The prevalent suffix is –es.

The Vendjomois use single names of great variety but senior individuals are generally addressed by their titles. Mauzac is an old soldier, Chief Eunuch Apod an important court official.

In Aprina one or more given names are followed by a family name. Raiklin N'Jukolana is a Councillor, his daughter is Babalyn N'Jukolana. Either or both may be used.

 

 

 

‘You are in luck though. Look yonder - the lank haired villain with the face of a hungry polecat. That is Kenion the Pimp, who will certainly help you, though at a price.'
Maiden

 

Now that you have sufficient background material to play you will need to create your PC. The notes above are only guidelines, but keep them in mind when doing this. For example, a Makean might be naturally shy, polite and feel that slavery is inherently wrong, but if so his fellow citizens will probably sell him out of sheer embarrassment. The GM should bear this in mind. Alternatively, there are the other worlds of the Cluster, which allow for those who would rather play a more personalised character, hereafter known as the Stranger. A Stranger must be created according to the Core Rules in order to interact with the locals, but otherwise the player has a free hand, although the Game Master may feel the need to step in event of any abuse of the system.

First then, having printed out a copy of the character sheet, decide which of the nine possible groups your character belongs to, whether they are male or female, and their name. You are now that character.

Next you need to consider your abilities. First there are the four Basic Attributes from the Core Rules -

 

Experience, Dexterity, Intelligence, Constitution.

 

Then there are the eight Additional Attributes, which in the case of the Maiden Saga are also the Primary Drives of the eight peoples (as given above) but we're now thinking of individual characters.

 

Power, Pride, Allure, Craft, Greed, Guile, Wisdom, Wealth.

 

If you want to play a Stranger you can divide 100 Game Points as set out in the Core Rules, and should select of your eight Additional Attributes as your Primary Drive. Otherwise, if your PC belongs to one of the eight peoples, you initially have 64 Game Points to divide between these twelve attributes, with a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 10. Let us consider, for example; Talithea, a princess of Mund; Irqual, the captain of a Makean corsair; and Raiklin N'Jukolana, an educated Aprinian of late middle-age.

 

These figures show how they rank in comparison to their peers, but the characteristics of each people also need to be taken into consideration. A further 36 points should therefore be distributed to PC according to the following matrix -

The chart now reads -

 

It is only possible for a human being to be so strong, so beautiful, so greedy, so wise, so there is an absolute upper limit of 50 Points on both Basic and Additional Attributes, and of 100 on Specialist Attributes.

 

 

Specialist Attributes -

 

Each of the eight peoples also has a Specialist Attribute, which are optional and you may buy for your character at a cost deducted from your 64 Game Points, as follows -

 

Aeg – Magic
– only the shamans and witches of the Aeg are sufficiently in tune with nature to command magic, and even then it is a complex and debilitating process, so much so that loyal friends are needed in order for a user to function normally. (See magic.) Cost – 30.

Mund – Berserk Fury
– this is rare and generally more trouble than it is worth. A berserker thinks nothing of their own life, while the fury cannot be triggered on purpose but comes with loss of temper due to pain or insult. Quadruples power. Cost -20.

Hai – Charm
– a few among the Hai are both so alluring and so silver tongued that even the most callous brute is weakened, allowing them a considerable advantage, although such individuals invariably come to rely too heavily on this ability. Doubles allure, halves opponent's power. Cost – 20.

Makea – Horror
– the reputation of the brutish Makean's for elaborate cruelty and sadistic games is such that their captains, great merchants, lords and ladies can weaken opponents through sheer terror at the prospect of capture, but only if the opponent is susceptible. Adds opponent's Wisdom to your power. Cost – 15.

Ythan – Alchemy
– always both devious and lecherous, some of the people of Ythan have developed the application of philtres to a fine art. The smoke from a candle, a waft of scent, even the touch of a treated surface and your resistance is gone, while they don't mind in the slightest if they too are affected. It's not your wallet they're after. Triples craft. Cost – 15.

Oretes – Patter
- skilled Oretean merchants and lawyers take pride in being able to talk themselves into, or out of, any situation. Doubles guile. Cost – 10.

Vendjome – Lucre
– the Vendjomois Imperial family and the great nobles are wealthy beyond most people's wildest imaginings and can tempt almost anyone with money, be it payment for services or a ransom to spare their life. They are also pampered and feeble. Quadruples wealth. Cost – 20.