well-dressed gentleman
02-04-2005, 09:45 PM
Step right up ladies and gentlefolk! See the exotic spectacle of Baldwin & Balin's DWARVEN CIRCUS!
Home to the world's only TAME DRAGON!
Owner of the world's largest and most divers GREAT SPIDER MENAGERIE!
It must be SEEN to be BELIEVED ladies and gentlemen!
The Dwarven Circus was founded by outcasts who needed to escape the tradition-
bound clans and guilds. It has grown popular with men and elves, earning modest
profits and even a dash of respect from the dwarves. The circus has a cast of
thousands, covers acres of land, and snakes across the world’s surface in miles
long caravans visible from outer space. The show has grown too big for any one
boss to control - its pavillions are a byzantine labyrinth of secrecy, intrigue
and mummery. Even those working in management don’t know who the real boss is,
if there is one. Baldwin disappeared centuries ago, and Balin left to make his
fortune in a mine. There is more than one facet to this flawed gem. It’s not
all about fun, or even all about money. Some Dwarves get bitter and warped from
centuries of rejection until they ... change into something else. Worse things
than dwarves haunt the grimy sideshows that appear and vanish like laughter.
http://www.scaryclowns.8m.com/images/jester.jpg
RULES
The circus is closer to the OUTCAST setting than to mainstream dwarven society.
So, when a dwarf chooses a circus lifepath, cross out his “Bearded” and his
"Traditional" traits. The circus, of course, has its own traditions.
The Dwarven Circus has leads from any OUTCAST; from any CLANSMEN except
husband / wife & longbeard; and from any GUILDER except craftsman & trader.
LIFEPATH - TIME - TRAIT - RES - STAT - LEADS
BARKER - 15 years - 1 trait - 5 resources +1 m - outcast, guilder
3 skill points: conspicuous, oratory & circus ride-wise
Sell balloons, tickets & cotton candy. Operate rides.
CLOWN - 10 years - 1 trait - 5 resources +1 p - outcast
7 skill points: theatrics, ugly truth, dance, cudgel, musical instrument,
firefighter training, stilt training, unicycle training & stentorious singing*
Ride in the klown kart. Hit each other with cudgels. Dance & sing badly.
FREAK - 30 years - 2 traits - 15 resources +1 m/p - outcast
1 skill point: theatrics, dog-faced boy* & rat-eater*
Go ahead & replace "dog-faced boy" with whatever deformity best describes you, you FREAK!
MOONSHINER - 20 years - 1 trait - 10 resources +1 m - outcast, clansmen
5 skill points: brewing, alchemy, stealth, miller, firebuilding & moonshiner*
ROUSTABOUT - 10 years - 0 traits - 5 resources +1 p - outcast, clansmen
5 skill points: knots, sing, drunking, brawl & back-breaking labor*
These guys erect tents, drive spikes & get all sweaty.
TEAMSTER - 20 years - 0 traits - 10 resources +1 p - outcast, guilder, clansmen
3 skill points: ox-team driving, animal husbandry, cage-wise & manure-shoveling*
You get to feed the great spiders & follow the great elephant with a broom.
TINKERER - 35 years - 1 trait - 10 resources +1 m - outcast, guilder, clansmen
4 skill points: circus ride-wise, stuff-wise, mend, curious* & tinkerer*
Similar to the clansmen tinkerer.
MASTER OF THE FERRIS WHEEL - 55 years - 0 traits - 75 resources +1 p - artificer
5 skill points: circus ride-wise, architecture, black metal craft & enchanting
Requires tinkerer or roustabout.
MASTER OF THE FUN HOUSE - 55 years - 2 traits - 75 resources +1 m - outcast
3 skill points: architecture, summoning, automata & cackling laugh*
Requires clown or tinkerer.
MASTER OF THE RIDE THAT MUST NOT BE NAMED - 55 years - 3 traits - 75 resources +1 m - outcast
3 skill points: circus ride-wise, demonology, nigromancy & creepy*
Requires oddity emporium curator, fortune-teller or one other master lifepath.
ANIMAL TRAINER - 20 years - 0 traits - 20 resources +1 m/p - outcast, guilder
7 skill points: wild kingdom-wise, ride, whip, field dressing, soothing platitudes,
great wolf husbandry, spider husbandry, low speech* & the whip hand*
Roll for deformity as for an eighth-lifepath orc. Requires teamster or carter.
DRAGON TAMER - 20 years - 0 traits - 45 resources +1 m,p - host
5 skill points: dragon husbandry, shield training, ride, hammer & dragonritter*
This profession absolutely requires a forge mask & a dwarven shield.
Roll for deformity as for a tenth-lifepath orc. Requires daredevil or animal trainer.
TOYMAKER - 20 years - 0 traits - 20 resources +1 p - guilder
7 skill points: carpentry, carve, enchanting, toy appraisal, child-wise, mend & haggle
Requires apprentice, freak or tinkerer.
PUPPETMASTER - 30 years - 1 trait - 30 resources +1 m/p - outcast
5 skill points: theatrics, acting, automata, cudgel, ugly truth & puppeteer*
More dangerous than he looks. Requires journeyman, toymaker or evil clown.
ODDITY EMPORIUM CURATOR - 20 years - 2 traits - 20 resources +1 m - outcast
5 skill points: etching, aquarium wise, read, write, bloodletting & eccentric*
These guys can get pretty weird. Requires freak, moonshiner or barker.
MUTILATOR - 25 years - 2 traits - 25 resources +1 m - outcast
5 skill points: khirurgy, anatomy, torture, pain-wise, poisons & cold blooded*
"Khirurgy is not well suited to men and elves" - unless you're mutilating 'em for display
in the FREAK CAGE! Requires oddity emporium curator, khirurgeon or evil clown.
CHARLATAN / FORTUNE TELLER - 30 years - 2 traits - 20 resources +1 m - outcast, noble
5 skill points: falsehood, aura reading, astrology, ugly truth & mysterious*
If you didn't take the sense aura trait then you are a CHARLATAN!
Requires freak, word-bearer or barker.
MAGICIAN - 30 years - 1 trait - 30 resources +1 m/p - noble
7 skill points: sleight of hand, conspicuous, observation training, summoning, lockpick & sharp dresser*
Requires charlatan or fortune-teller.
CONFECTIONER - 40 years - 0 traits - 30 resources +1 p - guilder
5 skill points: cook, chocolate appraisal, child-wise, haggle & candymaker*
Requires brewer or moonshiner.
MOUNTEBANK - 30 years - 0 traits - 30 resources +1 m/p - outcast, guilder
7 skill points: conspicuous, persuasion, falsehood, gambling, throw, apthecary, soothing platitudes & glib*
Learn to sell elixirs & host fun games of skill as a MOUNTEBANK! Requires confectioner or charlatan.
EVIL CLOWN - 10 years - 2 traits - 5 resources +1 m/p - outcast
7 skill points: stealth, knife, garrote, intimidation, torture, persuasion, murderous* & crying on the inside*
People disappear all the time from these transient communities. Requires clown.
DAREDEVIL - 20 years - 0 traits - 20 resources +1 p - outcast, host
7 skill points: acrobatics, conspicuous, field dressing, artillery hand, throw, deep-throat training & fearless*
Throw knives at your girlfriend. Hurtle from the muzzle of a klown kannon. Defy gravity on the flying trapeze.
Deformities as a sixth-lifepath orc. Requires teamster or clown.
STRONGMAN - 10 years - 0 traits - 10 resources +2 p - clansmen, host
2 skill points: conspicuous & intimidation
Requires teamster or roustabout.
WRESTLER / PUGILIST - 20 years - 0 traits - 20 resources +1 p - clansmen, host
2 skill points: appropriate fighting style
Requires animal trainer or strongman.
IMPRESARIO - 50 years - 0 traits - 75 resources +1 m - outcast, guilder
5 skill points: conspicuous, oratory, accounting, stentorious debate & stentorious voice*
1 skill point: general
Requires mountebank, magician or master lifepath.
WELCOME LADIES & GENTLEMEN . . . TO THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH!
Eruditus suggested an equipment list:
Midsized (apartment sized) tent - 5 resource points
Make-up kit - 1 rp
Wonderous elixir of spectacular results - 2 rp
Whip - 2 rp
Circus wagon - 15 rp
Klown kart - 3 rp
trained monkey - 7 rp
Own gear for act - 8 rp
In with management - 15 rp
Partner - 75 rp
Armored spandex - 10 rp
The wonderous elixir of spectacular results is rubbed into the skin and grants a
die to one appropriate test before it wears off. The forumulae are specific to
a single ability. The most common apply to love (seduction), health (health),
or money (accounting, haggle, persuasion and so on). Others promise to get the
better of your spouse or rival (intimidate) or bring good luck (confer the luck
trait once). They never aid strenuous activity like ride, fencing, and sorcery,
though you are certain to be offered these if you ask! The GM rolls a DOF minus
2 to calculate the number of doses. If he scores 0 or -1 then you were cheated!
You’ll know the moment it fails to deliver an extra die. Welcome to the circus!
The whip is used to train animals and functions as a Troll Lash with +1 power.
Its base power is the wielder's whip skill (not power) exponent.
The whip is a +1 power, VA -, ADD 2 unwieldy weapon with a reach of Longest.
The circus wagon is brightly painted conveyance for the troupe and properties.
It may accomodate two circus animals, a ton of cargo, or up to seven dwarves,
though two to four is a more common number.
The klown kart rides low to the ground and is drawn by a miniature beast of
burden. It has seating for six dwarves plus a driver.
The monkey comes with a hat, uniform, cage and maybe an organ or a drum. He is
trained to perform a single trick - play an instrument, steal a wallet, ride a
horse - on command. Animal husbandry is necessary to care for him properly or
to teach him anything new. Low speech can be used to command him on the fly.
The In with management affiliation gets you a good circus wagon with your choice
of roommates, the best booth locations for fleecing suckers, the option to shirk
whatever dirty chore the snake lady tries to foist upon you and so on.
The Partner affiliation gets you all the benefits of In with management, plus a
share of the profits and a say in circus governance. You gain insight into and
influence with one faction of the circus; but don’t know who the other factions
are, or even how many factions exist. Your share does not give you predictable
income; but rather exotic animals, amnesiac slaves, elixirs, minor magic items,
counterfeit coins, candy, cadavers and so on. You will get to manage a single
act or ride and keep the cash profits, with a fifth cut going to management.
Armored spandex is a brightly colored bodysuit with an aerodynamic helmet and
goggles which is available to dwarves on a circus lifepath. It is a superior
quality armor of DN 6 which negates all clumsy weight penalties.
http://www.scaryclowns.8m.com/images/demonic.jpg
Home to the world's only TAME DRAGON!
Owner of the world's largest and most divers GREAT SPIDER MENAGERIE!
It must be SEEN to be BELIEVED ladies and gentlemen!
The Dwarven Circus was founded by outcasts who needed to escape the tradition-
bound clans and guilds. It has grown popular with men and elves, earning modest
profits and even a dash of respect from the dwarves. The circus has a cast of
thousands, covers acres of land, and snakes across the world’s surface in miles
long caravans visible from outer space. The show has grown too big for any one
boss to control - its pavillions are a byzantine labyrinth of secrecy, intrigue
and mummery. Even those working in management don’t know who the real boss is,
if there is one. Baldwin disappeared centuries ago, and Balin left to make his
fortune in a mine. There is more than one facet to this flawed gem. It’s not
all about fun, or even all about money. Some Dwarves get bitter and warped from
centuries of rejection until they ... change into something else. Worse things
than dwarves haunt the grimy sideshows that appear and vanish like laughter.
http://www.scaryclowns.8m.com/images/jester.jpg
RULES
The circus is closer to the OUTCAST setting than to mainstream dwarven society.
So, when a dwarf chooses a circus lifepath, cross out his “Bearded” and his
"Traditional" traits. The circus, of course, has its own traditions.
The Dwarven Circus has leads from any OUTCAST; from any CLANSMEN except
husband / wife & longbeard; and from any GUILDER except craftsman & trader.
LIFEPATH - TIME - TRAIT - RES - STAT - LEADS
BARKER - 15 years - 1 trait - 5 resources +1 m - outcast, guilder
3 skill points: conspicuous, oratory & circus ride-wise
Sell balloons, tickets & cotton candy. Operate rides.
CLOWN - 10 years - 1 trait - 5 resources +1 p - outcast
7 skill points: theatrics, ugly truth, dance, cudgel, musical instrument,
firefighter training, stilt training, unicycle training & stentorious singing*
Ride in the klown kart. Hit each other with cudgels. Dance & sing badly.
FREAK - 30 years - 2 traits - 15 resources +1 m/p - outcast
1 skill point: theatrics, dog-faced boy* & rat-eater*
Go ahead & replace "dog-faced boy" with whatever deformity best describes you, you FREAK!
MOONSHINER - 20 years - 1 trait - 10 resources +1 m - outcast, clansmen
5 skill points: brewing, alchemy, stealth, miller, firebuilding & moonshiner*
ROUSTABOUT - 10 years - 0 traits - 5 resources +1 p - outcast, clansmen
5 skill points: knots, sing, drunking, brawl & back-breaking labor*
These guys erect tents, drive spikes & get all sweaty.
TEAMSTER - 20 years - 0 traits - 10 resources +1 p - outcast, guilder, clansmen
3 skill points: ox-team driving, animal husbandry, cage-wise & manure-shoveling*
You get to feed the great spiders & follow the great elephant with a broom.
TINKERER - 35 years - 1 trait - 10 resources +1 m - outcast, guilder, clansmen
4 skill points: circus ride-wise, stuff-wise, mend, curious* & tinkerer*
Similar to the clansmen tinkerer.
MASTER OF THE FERRIS WHEEL - 55 years - 0 traits - 75 resources +1 p - artificer
5 skill points: circus ride-wise, architecture, black metal craft & enchanting
Requires tinkerer or roustabout.
MASTER OF THE FUN HOUSE - 55 years - 2 traits - 75 resources +1 m - outcast
3 skill points: architecture, summoning, automata & cackling laugh*
Requires clown or tinkerer.
MASTER OF THE RIDE THAT MUST NOT BE NAMED - 55 years - 3 traits - 75 resources +1 m - outcast
3 skill points: circus ride-wise, demonology, nigromancy & creepy*
Requires oddity emporium curator, fortune-teller or one other master lifepath.
ANIMAL TRAINER - 20 years - 0 traits - 20 resources +1 m/p - outcast, guilder
7 skill points: wild kingdom-wise, ride, whip, field dressing, soothing platitudes,
great wolf husbandry, spider husbandry, low speech* & the whip hand*
Roll for deformity as for an eighth-lifepath orc. Requires teamster or carter.
DRAGON TAMER - 20 years - 0 traits - 45 resources +1 m,p - host
5 skill points: dragon husbandry, shield training, ride, hammer & dragonritter*
This profession absolutely requires a forge mask & a dwarven shield.
Roll for deformity as for a tenth-lifepath orc. Requires daredevil or animal trainer.
TOYMAKER - 20 years - 0 traits - 20 resources +1 p - guilder
7 skill points: carpentry, carve, enchanting, toy appraisal, child-wise, mend & haggle
Requires apprentice, freak or tinkerer.
PUPPETMASTER - 30 years - 1 trait - 30 resources +1 m/p - outcast
5 skill points: theatrics, acting, automata, cudgel, ugly truth & puppeteer*
More dangerous than he looks. Requires journeyman, toymaker or evil clown.
ODDITY EMPORIUM CURATOR - 20 years - 2 traits - 20 resources +1 m - outcast
5 skill points: etching, aquarium wise, read, write, bloodletting & eccentric*
These guys can get pretty weird. Requires freak, moonshiner or barker.
MUTILATOR - 25 years - 2 traits - 25 resources +1 m - outcast
5 skill points: khirurgy, anatomy, torture, pain-wise, poisons & cold blooded*
"Khirurgy is not well suited to men and elves" - unless you're mutilating 'em for display
in the FREAK CAGE! Requires oddity emporium curator, khirurgeon or evil clown.
CHARLATAN / FORTUNE TELLER - 30 years - 2 traits - 20 resources +1 m - outcast, noble
5 skill points: falsehood, aura reading, astrology, ugly truth & mysterious*
If you didn't take the sense aura trait then you are a CHARLATAN!
Requires freak, word-bearer or barker.
MAGICIAN - 30 years - 1 trait - 30 resources +1 m/p - noble
7 skill points: sleight of hand, conspicuous, observation training, summoning, lockpick & sharp dresser*
Requires charlatan or fortune-teller.
CONFECTIONER - 40 years - 0 traits - 30 resources +1 p - guilder
5 skill points: cook, chocolate appraisal, child-wise, haggle & candymaker*
Requires brewer or moonshiner.
MOUNTEBANK - 30 years - 0 traits - 30 resources +1 m/p - outcast, guilder
7 skill points: conspicuous, persuasion, falsehood, gambling, throw, apthecary, soothing platitudes & glib*
Learn to sell elixirs & host fun games of skill as a MOUNTEBANK! Requires confectioner or charlatan.
EVIL CLOWN - 10 years - 2 traits - 5 resources +1 m/p - outcast
7 skill points: stealth, knife, garrote, intimidation, torture, persuasion, murderous* & crying on the inside*
People disappear all the time from these transient communities. Requires clown.
DAREDEVIL - 20 years - 0 traits - 20 resources +1 p - outcast, host
7 skill points: acrobatics, conspicuous, field dressing, artillery hand, throw, deep-throat training & fearless*
Throw knives at your girlfriend. Hurtle from the muzzle of a klown kannon. Defy gravity on the flying trapeze.
Deformities as a sixth-lifepath orc. Requires teamster or clown.
STRONGMAN - 10 years - 0 traits - 10 resources +2 p - clansmen, host
2 skill points: conspicuous & intimidation
Requires teamster or roustabout.
WRESTLER / PUGILIST - 20 years - 0 traits - 20 resources +1 p - clansmen, host
2 skill points: appropriate fighting style
Requires animal trainer or strongman.
IMPRESARIO - 50 years - 0 traits - 75 resources +1 m - outcast, guilder
5 skill points: conspicuous, oratory, accounting, stentorious debate & stentorious voice*
1 skill point: general
Requires mountebank, magician or master lifepath.
WELCOME LADIES & GENTLEMEN . . . TO THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH!
Eruditus suggested an equipment list:
Midsized (apartment sized) tent - 5 resource points
Make-up kit - 1 rp
Wonderous elixir of spectacular results - 2 rp
Whip - 2 rp
Circus wagon - 15 rp
Klown kart - 3 rp
trained monkey - 7 rp
Own gear for act - 8 rp
In with management - 15 rp
Partner - 75 rp
Armored spandex - 10 rp
The wonderous elixir of spectacular results is rubbed into the skin and grants a
die to one appropriate test before it wears off. The forumulae are specific to
a single ability. The most common apply to love (seduction), health (health),
or money (accounting, haggle, persuasion and so on). Others promise to get the
better of your spouse or rival (intimidate) or bring good luck (confer the luck
trait once). They never aid strenuous activity like ride, fencing, and sorcery,
though you are certain to be offered these if you ask! The GM rolls a DOF minus
2 to calculate the number of doses. If he scores 0 or -1 then you were cheated!
You’ll know the moment it fails to deliver an extra die. Welcome to the circus!
The whip is used to train animals and functions as a Troll Lash with +1 power.
Its base power is the wielder's whip skill (not power) exponent.
The whip is a +1 power, VA -, ADD 2 unwieldy weapon with a reach of Longest.
The circus wagon is brightly painted conveyance for the troupe and properties.
It may accomodate two circus animals, a ton of cargo, or up to seven dwarves,
though two to four is a more common number.
The klown kart rides low to the ground and is drawn by a miniature beast of
burden. It has seating for six dwarves plus a driver.
The monkey comes with a hat, uniform, cage and maybe an organ or a drum. He is
trained to perform a single trick - play an instrument, steal a wallet, ride a
horse - on command. Animal husbandry is necessary to care for him properly or
to teach him anything new. Low speech can be used to command him on the fly.
The In with management affiliation gets you a good circus wagon with your choice
of roommates, the best booth locations for fleecing suckers, the option to shirk
whatever dirty chore the snake lady tries to foist upon you and so on.
The Partner affiliation gets you all the benefits of In with management, plus a
share of the profits and a say in circus governance. You gain insight into and
influence with one faction of the circus; but don’t know who the other factions
are, or even how many factions exist. Your share does not give you predictable
income; but rather exotic animals, amnesiac slaves, elixirs, minor magic items,
counterfeit coins, candy, cadavers and so on. You will get to manage a single
act or ride and keep the cash profits, with a fifth cut going to management.
Armored spandex is a brightly colored bodysuit with an aerodynamic helmet and
goggles which is available to dwarves on a circus lifepath. It is a superior
quality armor of DN 6 which negates all clumsy weight penalties.
http://www.scaryclowns.8m.com/images/demonic.jpg