Crossposted from sjgames GURPS forum - the flavor text is pasted out of the wiki, while the GURPS Traits referred to in the krunch (revisions) portion have been appended for reference here from the Basic Set.
Okay, this portion is a bit tougher and I'm afraid longer as well '" the flavor concept for the race needs to be clearly grasped in order determine how to reflect it mechanically and I'm really having trouble with this and making sure it's interesting and fun to play without being broken. As a starting point and for the sake of comparison I'm leaving in the original DnD racial krunch of the most recent version which I'm trying to GURPSize and expand upon. I wasn't well satisfied with it there, and GURPS gives me a lot more to work with, but the base Ability Score adjustments did reflect part of the concept of khürpakh a little better '" GURPS Abilities shift it differently '" better reflecting another facet but ultimately it seems, a trade off. Part of the problem too is that it can be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on choices and the resulting calculations. As a basic concept hook I usually introduce the Khurorkh with 'think Taoist-Rasta-Klingons' - just don't think it too literally. . .
The Flavor
The Khurorkh tend to be a cheerful and optimistic people, if rather intense and earnest in their demeanor and behavior. Their name for themselves translates literally as the 'Fierce People,' originally as distinct from the Elves who call themselves Fehladürh, or 'Gentle People.' (It should be noted that the two languages are closely related.) Their force of personality is probably their most distinguishing characteristic, especially in view of how highly it is regarded in their culture as a social and spiritual ideal. First expressed by the Druid/Monk St. Kherrekh (now a lesser deity), they call this trait khürpahkk: 'personal force' and view it's development (or 'flowering') as a sign of personal and spiritual maturity. In terms of game mechanics it is represented as the average of the ability scores in Wisdom and Charisma, replacing both in nearly all circumstances. An individual lacking in khürpahkk is considered to be of weak character, i.e., Charisma (hardness) untempered by Wisdom (centeredness, implying flexibility,) is described as 'brittle,' while the awareness of Wisdom without the expression of Charisma is called 'soft' and the absence of both traits is considered 'raw' or 'unshaped' - the immaturity of a child. (Khurorkh characters begin with +1 in both scores and increase them separately, but use the average in their place. Ability losses due to magic or other effects only affect the stated ability - this may or may not alter the functional score when recalculated.) The Khurorkh do not lie or show what they perceive to be false courtesy. Their culture has developed from strongly Taoist-Druidic roots and continues to reflect their close awareness of their natural environment (and their place within it.) 'To say that what is, is not, or that what is not, is, is to step off of the Path over the Precipice (of madness). You may shout with your last breath that the Ground (of Being) upon which you have been walking remains beneath your feet, but still, the cold, hard truth of the ground beneath you will, before you can take another breath, impress itself upon your head. . .' (St. Kherrekh, 'Discourse on How the Mother {of the Myriad Things} Disciplines Her Children.')
Alignment: Khurorkh tend to be lawful as a matter of personal ethics and self-discipline (which is why monks are common among them), and good in terms of their respect for life. Tendencies toward neutrality on either axis are common among individuals however, and many lean toward Druidic spiritual training. Their culture places great value on clan ties, but views the overall development of each individual as the primary means of contributing to society as a whole. Khurorkh culture most values awareness of the natural world and a way of life which reflects this. Concepts such as honor strike them as contrived and unnatural (while most others who hold to that particular value would consider them to be very honorable).
Religion: The khürorkh are a deeply spiritual people, worshiping predominantly the deities of nature. They were the first Druids and many still train as such. Many, however, choose more personal relationships with a particular deity, training as clerics and/or monks. Spiritual training is a fundamental aspect of khürorkh culture, and all children receive spiritual training among their mothers' clan from the ages of around 3 to 8 before being fostered among their father's clan for more "secular" training and apprenticeship (from the ages of 9 to 13). All khürorkh characters are either multi-class, with one class being specifically a Divine Spell casting class (Druid, Cleric, Adept, Paladin or Ranger) and one other class, or they are monks. Monks can be single class, or may multi class freely with any other class, so long as this remains the highest level class. (The monk class is viewed as a sort of "bridge" between the divine and secular classes and fulfills either multi class requirement.) Monks are also the only khürorkh who may take psionic classes (and frequently display wild talents). Besides the Primordials, khürorkh often worship one or more of the Enlightened Masters (especially St. Kherrekh,) The Lunars (particularly Melanar BloodMoon) or one of the Ascended Masters. Among subterranean clans in particular may be found worshipers of the predominately dwarven/gnomish god Zhedarhe, who even train with his favored weapon, the urgrosh. Worship of the other deities is rarer, but with the exception of Jessanak, not unheard of. They tend to view Salistreah as a little too unrestrained, while Shaliah's portfolio of "art for art's sake" doesn't reflect the aesthetic norms of their society (form follows function and decoration becomes an afterthought - objects tend to be plain and utilitarian). As they are more likely to meditate than study, Varrush is not often worshiped, though' many have ties with various orders in which his church is active (e.g., The Collegium).
Names: Khurorkh receive their Truename in a ceremony on the first full (blood)moon after completing 1 full cycle (at least 40 days) following their birth. They also receive a public "spiritual" name at this time. Upon fostering to their paternal clan for apprenticeship they are usually given a secular name and will commonly take a public adult name when their training is completed. This latter is what they will normally introduce themselves with. Naming is a significant spiritual ceremony involving divinations to determine (at the various stages in their lives) a child's guiding deity, general talents/gifts/medicine and occupational path in life. Additionally khürorkh will give their maternal and paternal clan names such as "of Stonespeaker (mother's clan), born of Stargazer (father's clan). Married males take their wife's clan names, followed by their parental clan's: "of Windwalker, from Stonespeaker, born of Stargazer." Full naming is usually only used formally, (at first introductions) and primarily among themselves (as interbreeding within either parental clan is considered incestuous). Among other races they will commonly just use their chosen name and sometimes their maternal or married clan name.
Adventurers: Since khürorkh society views enlightenment as a basis for action in the world, they may be found adventuring for a virtually any reason, arising from their personal medicine gifts and insight. The path to enlightenment is individual and ongoing.
From Orders and Societies of Panisadore:
==(Khurorkh) Shyz'n==
Symbol: varies
Churches: Any in which khurorkh are active
Membership: L, M, R
Shyz'n are fundamental structures throughout khurorkh society and most adults belong to one and occasionally more. The word could be translated variously as (medicine) lodge or society, fraternal order, religious order or school. Many function in a fashion similar to guilds but do not seek to monopolize any profession and often encompass multiple related professions. Additionally they explicitly incorporate common spiritual practice and development within the scope and context of their specific functions. Rarely do they specifically exclude other races, though it is likewise rare for members of other races to rise to positions of prominence within them. Shyz'n exist which concern themselves with virtually any field of endeavor and consequently there is no specific structure or pattern common to all or even most. Size and geographic presence likewise varies widely. The Harak Shyz'n functions as a mercenary regiment of some renown based in Salis Freeport and contracting throughout the Twin Kingdoms as well as operating three military academies at their separate battalion headquarters. Many sailing vessels constitute shyz'n in their own right as do various craft centers, churches, groves, monasteries and orders. While constituting a major part of the khurorkh councils ('government'), few exert any significant influence outside of khurorkh society.
==Druid Groves==
Symbol: varies
Churches: The Primordials, (?)
Membership: R (druids primarily), L (mostly rangers), M (mostly khurorkh and elven)
Most groves are independent '" the druids themselves have no formal church structure, although in a few cases some groves are in effect subsidiary to another central or founding grove. The actual churches of the various Primes are generally cooperative with them and often function as means of communication between different groves. While they wield little political influence in most regions, coupled with the related churches as a whole they constitute a vast information network. Further, they are usually the primary point of contact for those seeking the Ferine and the Wild Hunt. While few might even conjecture so, they essentially constitute the church of Who Cannot Be Named. For their part they see no point in even speaking of her, being the fundamental ineffable mystery of which nothing can be said, with which they seek to attune themselves and from which their power is ultimately derived.
From Panisadore Deities:
5.1 Kherrekh
Title: Jhenghallahr (khurorkh: Old Man) Associated Phenomenon: The Myriad Sounds of the World Alignment: LG Rank: Lesser Deity Race: Khurorkh Gender: M
Symbol: Empty (colored) hands (see description) Weapon: Hand
Totem: Praying Mantis Herald: Allies:
Portfolio: Monks, Enlightenment, Khurpahkk, Spiritual action in the world
Domains: Aura (Gold), Strength (Red), Protection (Black), Repose (White)
Associated Orders: Disciples of the Ways, Servers of the Way, Turners of the Wheel
Description: Patron of monks everywhere, Kherrekh was himself an accomplished and greatly respected monk at an early age. Concerned with finding root meaning in a world which demands action, yet ultimately seems unchanged by it, he espoused a philosophy of taking actions purely for their own sake. Based upon the fierce drive of the khurorkh temperament, he described this in terms of developing awareness of what is correct and acting upon that awareness without hesitation or equivocation. Those who develop the capability to do so become more fully present in the world yet at the same time less subject to its vicissitudes. This certitude is held to be manifest in an individual's khürpahkk, or certainty of presence. Accounts of how and when Kherrekh achieved enlightenment are many and apocryphal, but it is certain that he did so and was recognized as a demigod prior to the beginning of the Kith War. Various orders based upon his teachings may be found throughout Panisadore. While largely monastic in nature they also include clerics and others. His clerics are rather unique, seeking to embody his ideals fully, providing service to those around them based upon his teachings of enlightened action in the world. His monasteries (and associated 'temples') are invariably found in or near population centers where they take some form of active role in the community. As such they are also very cooperative with other churches '" frequently sponsoring hospitals staffed by the church of Melanar for instance. Clerics of Kherrick display a distinctive marking '" upon becoming clerics their hands take on the colors of their chosen domains, serving as holy symbols when displayed. They are not proficient with shields, however they receive the bonus feats Improved Unarmed Strike and Weapon Focus, Unarmed Strike at 1st level and Stunning Fist at 11th Level. (Most prefer to develop their unarmed combat skills rather than weapons.) They also receive as class skills all Monk class skills based upon INT, WIS or CHR.
Khurorkh Racial Traits (partial list):
+2 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +1 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom, +1 Charisma. Khurorkh are strong and tough but not as quick and agile as other races. They are more aware of their environment than most. Additionally, their spiritual culturization develops a strong sense of personal awareness and, as a result, Wisdom and Charisma are averaged (round down) and the result, khürpahkk is substituted for both when determining ability bonuses and checks. Khurorkh raised by other races do not develop khürpahkk and do not receive the Charisma bonus. Reflectively, those rare characters raised by the khürorkh (such that they speak Khurorkh rather than their own racial tongue,) develop khürpahkk and receive the bonus to their charisma. (They also receive the skill points and competency bonuses to a craft and a profession skill as described below.)
Bonus skill points: 1 point each in any one Craft and any one Profession skill the character chooses. Khurorkh receive a +2 competency bonus to these chosen skills as well. Khurorkh society is very practical in its approach to life and adolescents are always trained (by their paternal clans) in some type useful trade(s).
Favored Class: Monk
Initial Revisions:
First obviously is that the straightjackets of character class can be dropped. From those can be derived typical professions and skills which broadly apply to the culture as a whole. I haven't gotten to ironing out the varieties of magic and other powers for the campaign yet, but essentially slight degrees of divine magic are quite common '" not as many individuals choose to develop this significantly though. (Originally I had included a fleshed out version of the Adept Class which would merge well with virtually any other class depending upon 'ability paths' chosen when advancing. This would constitute the most common Divine Magic using class, many choosing not to develop it further and therefor only able to perform a couple of extremely minor (cantrip/orison) level spells each day.) D&D offered very little in the way of chi based abilities, so further development of monks as psionicists made a great deal of sense '" not a common path, but a definite associated branch for those suited to it. Continuing this with GURPS as originally described risks making the race excessively 'magical' then, unless some of the basic description is revised. 'Triple threats' (chi/divine/psi) may be possible '" all 3 paths would start with meditation (which will be a racially trained skill at 1 pt. in the template,) but should not be common. I will be making meditation a prerequisite for an equal level of Power Investiture (in lieu of Magery 0) '" except in emergencies the gods will not invest more divine power than a priest is capable of handling and druids can't draw more power than they've learned to 'open themselves' to. Developing and effectively utilizing chi and psionic abilities are likewise at least partially related to the skill. All three can be seen a manifestations of well developed khürpahkk, which itself is strongly rooted in meditation.
Working out khürpahkk as a Trait is essential to the above considerations as well as to the racial template in general. Part of the difficulty arises from the fact that it isn't always advantageous '" poorly developed (i.e., imbalanced) khürpahkk can be a disadvantage. My initial thoughts have been to apply the following ability modifiers to the racial template: IQ -1, with an additional +4 points to apply among PER and Will as the player chooses. Essentially they are less inclined toward logic and reasoning than other races but rather more intuitive and aware '" some might describe them as more 'left brained than right,' as they will more readily perceive patterns in data than others, but less readily derive conclusions from comparing the data. For the sake of further discussion I will default to the assumption that khürpahkk is balanced as the racial norm (mechanically speaking Will and PER are no more than 1 pt different and essentially equal if averaged '" the higher the pair the stronger the khürpahkk) '" hence khurorkh tend to be more self confident than other races as well as less prone to self-delusion; they are as aware of their limitations as of their capabilities. I'm still looking at averaging the stats '" causing them to effect each other. In this case then khürpahkk, as a numeric value, is a function of the average -10 (stat norm) negatively modified (when applicable) by subtracting half the difference (rounded down) between the two. A beginning character, without spending any further points in IQ, PER and Will would, balanced, have a khürpahkk of 1 since PER and Will would both equal 11. Choosing instead scores of 12 and 10 (regardless of which) would produce khürpahkk 0 '" average 11 -10 -1, while 9 &13 result in khürpahkk -1. In the latter example, the character might later raise those abilities and have a positive khürpahkk while still imbalanced '"say 11 & 15: avg = (13) -10 -2 =+1, but compared to a balanced individual who has advanced equally they're markedly less developed: 13 & 13 produce khürpahkk 3.
The relevance of the number crunching of course depends on what is subsequently done with the resulting value. Primarily I'm looking at applying it as a modifier to influence and Will rolls. While khürpahkk isn't strictly a social trait, it's most readily, and frequently, apparent in social interactions. Looking at the various situations in which it would apply then, as a positive modifier it would have the effect of a 15 point Talent since it would effect situations in which a rather long list of skills (or their defaults) would be used. However, if negative it would still modify the same rolls as a penalty. Further, even though it can increase as the character develops, by its very nature it shouldn't cost additional points to raise in addition to those spent raising the ability scores it's derived from '" it should only have an initial cost in the racial template. Ancillary effects would be to prohibit a number of mental disadvantages (unless out of balance), such as Paranoia, and reduce the modifiers by .5 to the -point value of those which require a Self-Control Roll '" khurorkh find it inherently easier than others to resist such urges. Hence resisting quite often, on a roll of 12 or less, would modify the value by 0.5 x the listed cost and could not be taken at 15 or less since the multiplier would be 0 '" such a disadvantage would be no more than a quirk. I've been thinking of simply making it a 25 pt advantage, but that still leaves the problem of cases in which the result is negative, or at least not at its full potential '" these should still be viable, and potentially very interesting, character options.
While the khurorkh place great emphasis on personal development, this is viewed and expressed in the context of significant defining values shared by an interwoven and very important web of social loyalties and responsibilities '" to clan(s), tribe(s) and shyz'n. Ultimately this engenders a number of behavioral constraints reflected in the following Disadvantages: Honesty -5 (resist on 12 or less), Truthfulness -5 (resist on 9 or less), Easy to Read -10 (not only is it difficult for them to dissemble, khürpahkk is very evident '" the khurorkh tend to view being plain and straightforward about what you want and expect an admirable trait,) and No Sense of Humor (they are nothing if not 'earnestly serious' about everything '" even dwarves, who are inherently Clueless, think they could stand to lighten up a little. . .). Their sense of loyalties and obligations manifests as Sense of Duty -10 and a Code of Honor most strongly resembling Professional (reflecting very similar values) -5. Where conflicts of interest arise khurorkh tend to prioritize shyz'n, tribe then clan. However, every situation has its own unique circumstances so there is no hard-and-fast rule and they formally codify very little. Individuals are instead expected to use their best judgment and observers to trust this. In an individual of high(er) khürpahkk their decisions are generally accepted as correct; khürpahkk always being quite evident among them, it follows that such an individual can be safely assumed to be both very perceptive and certain of their decisions '" khurorkh rarely second guess themselves or each other. In matters of conflict or debate they will typically defer to the judgment of those with more developed khürpahkk in final decisions. These leaders are generally perceptive enough to value the input of others involved and take such into consideration.
GURPS Traits
Talent Variable
You have a natural aptitude for a set of closely related skills. 'Talents' come in levels, and give the following benefits:
'¢ A bonus of +1 per level with all affected skills, even for default use. This effectively raises your attribute scores for the purpose of those skills only; thus, this is an inexpensive way to be adept at small class of skills. (Generalists will find it more cost effective
to raise attributes.)
'¢ A bonus of +1 per level on all reaction rolls made by anyone in a position to notice your Talent, if he would be impressed by your aptitude (GM's judgment). To receive this bonus, you must demonstrate your Talent '" most often by using the affected skills.
'¢ A reduction in the time required to learn the affected skills in play, regardless of how you learn them. Reduce the time required by 10% per level of Talent; e.g., Animal Friend 2 would let you learn animal-related skills in 80% the usual time. This has no effect on the point cost of your skills. You may never have more than four levels of a particular Talent. However, overlapping Talents can give skill bonuses (only) in excess of +4.
Cost of Talents
The cost of a Talent depends on the size of the group of skills affected:
Small (6 or fewer related skills): 5 points/level.
Medium (7 to 12 related skills): 10 points/level.
Large (13 or more related skills): 15 points/level.
Skills with multiple specialties are considered to be one skill for this purpose. Once you buy a Talent, the list of affected skills is fixed. (Exception: The GM may rule that a Talent affects new skills appearing in later GURPS supplements, or skills he invents in the course of the campaign, if the Talent would logically be of value to those skills.)
Examples of Talents
The following Talents are considered standard, and exist in most campaigns:
Animal Friend: Animal Handling, Falconry, Packing, Riding, Teamster, and Veterinary. Reaction bonus: all animals. 5 points/level.
Artificer: Armoury, Carpentry, Electrician, Electronics Repair, Engineer, Machinist, Masonry, Mechanic, and Smith. Reaction bonus: anyone you do work for. 10 points/level.
Business Acumen: Accounting, Administration, Economics, Finance, Gambling, Market Analysis, Merchant, and Propaganda. Reaction bonus: anyone you do business with. 10 points/level.
Gifted Artist: Artist, Jeweler, Leatherworking, Photography, and Sewing. Reaction bonus: anyone buying or critiquing your work. 5 points/level.
Green Thumb: Biology, Farming, Gardening, Herb Lore, and Naturalist. Reaction bonus: gardeners and sentient plants. 5 points/level.
Healer: Diagnosis, Esoteric Medicine, First Aid, Pharmacy, Physician, Physiology, Psychology, Surgery, and Veterinary. Reaction bonus: patients, both past and present. 10 points/level.
Mathematical Ability: Accounting, Astronomy, Cryptography, Engineer, Finance, Market Analysis, Mathematics, and Physics. Reaction bonus: engineers and scientists. 10 points/level.
Musical Ability: Group Performance (Conducting), Musical Composition, Musical Influence, Musical Instrument, and Singing. Reaction bonus: anyone listening to or critiquing your work. 5 points/level.
Outdoorsman: Camouflage, Fishing, Mimicry, Naturalist, Navigation, Survival, and Tracking. Reaction bonus: explorers, nature
lovers, and the like. 10 points/level.
Smooth Operator: Acting, Carousing, Detect Lies, Diplomacy, Fast-Talk, Intimidation, Leadership, Panhandling, Politics, Public Speaking, Savoir-Faire, Sex Appeal, and Streetwise. Reaction bonus: con artists, politicians, salesmen, etc. '" but only if you are not trying to manipulate them. 15 points/level.
Custom Talents
At the GM's option, you may create your own Talent with a custom skill list. However, the GM's word is law when determining which skills are 'related' and how may points the Talent is worth. Talents should always be believable inborn aptitudes. For instance, Sports Talent might make sense '" some athletes really do seem to have a gift '" but the GM ought to forbid Ninja Talent or Weapon Talent (but see Weapon Master, p. 99).
Honesty -10 points*
You must obey the law, and do your best to get others to do so as well. In an area with little or no law, you do not 'go wild' '" you act as though the laws of your own home were in force. You also assume that others are honest unless you know otherwise (make
an IQ roll to realize someone might be dishonest if you haven't seen proof). This is a disadvantage, because it often limits your options! Make a self control roll when faced with the 'need' to break unreasonable laws; if you fail, you must obey the law, whatever the consequences. If you manage to resist your urges and break the law, make a second self-control roll afterward. If you fail, you must turn yourself in to the authorities! You may fight (or even start a fight, if you do it in a legal way). You may even kill in a legal duel or in self defense '" but you may never murder. You may steal if there is great need, but only as a last resort, and you must attempt to pay your victims back later. If you are jailed for a crime you did not commit, but treated fairly and assured of a trial, you will not try to escape. You always keep your word. (In a war, you may act 'dishonestly' against the enemy, but you will not be happy about it!) However, you are allowed to lie if it does not involve breaking the law. Truthfulness (p. 159) is a separate
disadvantage. Honesty has its rewards, of course. If you stay alive and in one place long enough for your honesty to become known, the GM should give you +1 on any noncombat reaction roll '" or +3 if a question of trust or honor is involved. This is essentially a free Reputation (see Reputation, p. 26).
Truthfulness -5 points*
You hate to tell a lie '" or you are just very bad at it. Make a self-control roll whenever you must keep silent about an uncomfortable truth (lying by omission). Roll at -5 if you actually have to tell a falsehood! If you fail, you blurt out the truth, or stumble so much that your lie is obvious. You have a permanent -5 to Fast Talk skill, and your Acting skill is at -5 when your purpose is to deceive.
Easy to Read -10 points
Your body language betrays your true intentions. This is not the same as Truthfulness (p. 159). You have no moral problem with lying, and may even possess Fast-Talk at a high level, but your face or stance gives the game away. Easy to Read gives others +4 on all Empathy, Body Language, and Psychology rolls to discern your intentions or the truth of your words. As well, they get +4 to their IQ, Detect Lies, and Gambling rolls in any Quick Contest with your Acting, Fast-Talk, or Gambling skill when you try to lie
or bluff. (If you also have Truthfulness, your Fast-Talk skill is at -5 on top of this.) This is a crippling disadvantage for a would-be spy, con man, or gambler! This is a mental disadvantage, despite its physical manifestations; with enough practice, you can 'buy it
off.'
No Sense of Humor -10 points
You never get any jokes; you think everyone is earnestly serious at all times. Likewise, you never joke, and you are earnestly serious at all times. Others react at -2 to you in any situation where this disadvantage becomes evident.
Sense of Duty -2 to -20 points
You feel a strong sense of commitment toward a particular class of people. You will never betray them, abandon them when they're in trouble, or let them suffer or go hungry if you can help. This is different from a Duty (p. 133), which is imposed upon you. A Sense of Duty always comes from within. If you are known to have a Sense of Duty, the GM will adjust the reactions of others by +2 when rolling to see whether they trust you in a dangerous situation. However, if you go against your Sense of Duty by acting against the interests of those you are supposed to be looking out for, the GM will penalize you for bad roleplaying. The GM will assign a point value to your Sense of Duty based on the size of the group you feel compelled to aid:
Individual (the President, your wingman, etc.): -2 points.
Small Group (e.g., your close friends, adventuring companions, or squad): -5 points.
Large Group (e.g., a nation or religion, or everyone you know personally): -10 points.
Entire Race (all humanity, all elves, etc.): -15 points.
Every Living Being: -20 points.
You cannot claim points for a Sense of Duty toward Allies, Dependents, or Patrons. The point costs of these traits already take such a bond into account. You can take a Sense of Duty toward adventuring companions. If you do, you must share equipment with and render aid to the other members of your adventuring party, and go along with majority decisions. The GM might make this mandatory in games where the party needs to get along. This gives everyone a 'free' 5 points to spend . . . but if you start backstabbing, running off on your own, etc., the GM is free to overrule your actions and point to these bonus points as the reason why.
Code of Honor -5 to -15 points
You take pride in a set of principles that you follow at all times. The specifics can vary, but they always involve 'honorable' behavior. You will do nearly anything '" perhaps even risk death '" to avoid the label 'dishonorable' (whatever that means). You must do more than pay lip service to a set of principles to get points for a Code of Honor. You must be a true follower of the Code! This is a disadvantage because it often requires dangerous '" if not reckless '" behavior. Furthermore, you can often be forced into unfair situations, because your foes know you are honorable. Code of Honor is not the same as Duty (p. 133) or Sense of Duty (p. 153). A samurai or British grenadier marches into battle against fearful odds out of duty, not for his personal honor (though of course he would lose honor by fleeing). The risks you take for your honor are solely on your own account. The point value of a particular Code of Honor depends on how much trouble it is liable to get you into and how arbitrary and irrational its requirements are. An informal Code that applies only among your peers is worth -5 points. A formal Code that applies only among peers, or an informal one that applies all the time, is worth -10 points. A formal Code that applies all the time, or that requires suicide if broken, is worth -15 points. The GM has the final say! Some examples:
Code of Honor (Pirate's): Always avenge an insult, regardless of the danger; your buddy's foe is your own; never attack a fellow crewman or buddy except in a fair, open duel.Anything else goes. This is also suitable for brigands, bikers, etc. -5 points.
Code of Honor (Professional): Adhere to the ethics of your profession; always do your job to the best of your ability; support your guild, union, or professional association. This is most suitable for lawyers and physicians (Hippocratic Oath), but dedicated tradesmen, merchants, and so forth may have a similar Code. -5 points.
Code of Honor (Gentleman's): Never break your word. Never ignore an insult to yourself, a lady, or your flag; insults may only be wiped out by an apology or a duel (not necessarily to the death!). Never take advantage of an opponent in any way; weapons and circumstances must be equal (except in open war). This only applies between gentlemen. A discourtesy from anyone of Status 0 or less calls for a whipping, not a duel! -10 points.
Code of Honor (Soldier's): An officer should be tough but fair, lead from the front, and look out for his men; an enlisted man should look out for his buddies and take care of his kit. Every soldier should be willing to fight and die for the honor of his unit, service, and country; follow orders; obey the 'rules of war'; treat an honorable enemy with respect (a dishonorable enemy deserves a bullet); and wear the uniform with pride. -10 points.
Code of Honor (Chivalry): As Code of Honor (Gentleman's), except that flags haven't been invented. Respond to any insult to your liege-lord or to your faith. Protect any lady, and anyone weaker than yourself. Accept any challenge to arms from anyone of greater or equal rank. Even in open war, sides and weapons must be equal if the foe is also noble and chivalrous. -15 points.
Forgive me, but I'm not actually knowledgeable of GURPS so the only thing I could actually say here is that maybe this would be easier to look at if you would first separate the fluff from the crunch. I find that crunch is secondary to fluff as fluff is not just the flavor but the premise of any story.
I'm just learning GURPS so in a while I could possibly have some crunch input.
Quote from: Teh_AzForgive me, but I'm not actually knowledgeable of GURPS so the only thing I could actually say here is that maybe this would be easier to look at if you would first separate the fluff from the crunch. I find that crunch is secondary to fluff as fluff is not just the flavor but the premise of any story.
I'm not sure of your meaning, or more precisely, the reason of the comment, since the flavor text constitutes the bulk of the post (when not counting the reference text quotes appended here for those who aren't familiar with GURPs). My development approach is always krunch follows flavor - in this case I'm having to re-krunch for the change of system - the flavor was done a couple of years ago. Since it was the first racial description I did for the setting, some revision is now in order to reflect/incorporate elements arising in subsequent racial material - the history of the Kith War detailed in the Fehladurh write-up in particular. (That actually will be edited with much of it being moved to a separate world history heading and the remainder focusing more specifically on the race itself.) At the same time, I do recognize that the change in mechanics is giving me reaso to re-look at the flavor a little bit. My earlier post about How Khurorkh See is a clear example - beyond mere flavor GURPs presents some specific mechanical effects for things which D&D does not - D&D has, beside a normal default, Low-Light and Dark Vision. Not being a subterranean race (which the Pahrorkh offshoot is) I could only put them somewhere in between standard (monstrous) orc vision and normal by giving them Blind Fighting - which was a very unsatisfactory effect. GURPs however provides a broad enough spectrum of visual modifications that not only can the two subraces can be clearly delineated in this regard, but much more of the overall characteristics of a races vision as differing from norm can be explicitly described and reflected in specific mechanical differences. Any way, if you're interested in it, the full original racial material can be found in the CBG wiki Khurorkh page of the Panisadore setting (http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/index.php?title=Introduction_to_Panisadore). The other races had no krunch material since they were already D&D standard in that respect - I will be creating GURPs racial templates for them as well. The primary purpose of these posts is for those curious about GURPs to take a look at how the system can handle these things. There's a whole lot of krunch options to sort through in the system (since it's meant to be able to model virtually anything) so looking at specific examples can be a helpful starting point. I'm posting these entries first (without the relevant quoted RAW text appended here) in the GURPs forum on sjgames for feedback on the actual krunchberries from GURPs players/GMs.
And therein lies my failure. I was trying to look at your flavor alone without regarding the crunch of it because I thought I could help out in some way with my lack of knowledge concerning GURPS.
I've pasted your work into word and I'm trying to look at the flavor alone right now. I'm thinking that might help, a bit.