GURPS® Highlander™ Second Edition By Joshua A. Reyer ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Introduction Some of you may never have seen these rules before. Some of you may have seen the old ones and are wondering why I've revised them. Hopefully, you're not saying, "It's about time." Basically, I wanted to keep it much the same, but add rules for added elements from the series, and correct some old mistakes. For those familiar with the rules, enjoy. For those just coming in, any comments you might have after reading them or playing them would be extremely appreciated. I'm afraid I can't give out free copies of books for feedback, but you'll most certainly get my thanks, and a credit on the page. GURPS is a registered trademark of Steve Jackson Games, and is used by the good graces of their official online policy. Highlander is a trademark of Davis/Panzer Productions and used without their knowledge or consent. These rules are for entertainment use only, and neither I or anyone else may receive money for them. All original writing is © 1996 by Joshua A. Reyer ------------------------------------------------------------------------ About the GURPS Compendium I must make mention here of the GURPS Compendium and its effect on these rules. For those who don't know, the GURPS Compendium is a sourcebook put out by Steve Jackson Games that includes all special rules, advantages, disadvantages and skills not in the GURPS Basic Set. Included in it are rules for Invulnerability and Immortality, advantages that might seem to fit right in with the rules for GURPS Highlander. However, I have chosen not to make use of the advantages (with the exception of Sterility) in the Compendium because they do not fit in with the spirit of the Highlander universe. So, the rules I use (based partly on the Vampiric rules in GURPS Bloodtypes) are special, and not taken from the Compendium. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ From the Dawn of Time... Rome, 64 A.D. Two men, meeting for the first time, draw their swords and assume battle stances. One is Roman, the other is a Celt from the north. With little pomp, and less ceremony, the duel begins. The two combatants circle each other, thrusting, striking, slashing. Over and over a thrust is parried, a strike is blocked. Finally, just as the two men begin to tire, a fire breaks out and quickly spreads all over Rome as Nero plays his fiddle. The duel is interrupted; the two men seperate. Albany, New York, 1992. Two men meet behind an abandoned warehouse. One is an Italian clothes designer, the other an Irish bookkeeper. They have met a few times over the vast centuries, but this time will be their last. With no words, but with mutual understanding, they draw their swords and begin. For half an hour their battle rages, around the warehouse, in the warehouse. The two swordsmen flail at each other, but each's skill is too advanced to get the advantage of the other. Finally, the Italian slips, just a bit, and the Irishman jumps on the opportunity. He disarms his opponent. Defeated, the Italian meets his fate bravely. The ancient sword of the Irishman comes down on his neck, and he falls, beheaded. The body of the slain Italian floats into the air, a greenish white glow enveloping the it; little flashes of lightning shoot out, then strike at the various boxes around the warehouse. The Irishman suddenly stands, paralyzed, as all the knowledge and power of his slain opponent flood into him. He screams at the shock of it, as a loud boom courses through the warehouse, boxes and windows shattering and exploding. Welcome to the world of Highlander. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A Question of Universes... Most fans of Highlander know of the movies, or at least the first one, and an equal number know of the television series. To solve inconsistencies between the two mediums, the producers have decreed that the movie and the television series takes place in two similiar, but different, universes. Where does this leave the game designer? Well, since you have two universes, you have different rules governing Immortality. For example, in the first movie, Connor MacLeod could breathe underwater. In the series, Immortals can not. So, the Immortal template has two versions; a movie version and a tv version. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Characters Immortals live long lives, and as a result, they often have accumulated a vast number of skills. However, not all are the same age, and some have a different number of skills. A pre-immortal gets 100 points to spend on skills, attributes and advantages. As soon as he is killed, he gains exactly the amount needed to cover the cost of the full Immortal package, regardless of any incidental points picked up since then. A fairly young Immortal is created with 600 points. One with a 2 or 3 centuries and a few heads under his built as an Immortal should be built with about 700 points. A 400-600 year old Immortal should be built with 750 to 800 points. However, it gets harder to learn new things as an Immortal gets older (they've seen so much already). An Immortal 700 to 1000 years old is built with 850 points, and one 1000-2000 years old is built with 900 points. A warning; playing mature, elder Immortals gets into extremely powerful playing. Be sure it's what you want. A good playable age is around 200. This allows for a mature Immortal, but leaves room for growth. Subtract 200 points from these figures when making television (non-cinematic) Immortals. Being a basic movie Immortal is a 533-point advantage. This includes the advantages of HT +10 (175), Breathe Water (10), Eidetic Memory (60), Immortality (60), Instant Regeneration (100), Invulnerability (160), Sense Immortals (15), and Regrowth (40), plus the disadvantages of Compulsive Behaviour (Can't Fight on Holy Ground) (-10), Enemy (-30), Secret (-20), Sterile (-3), and Vulnerability: Beheading (-5). Being a basic tv Immortal is a 298-point advantage. This includes the advantages of HT +5 (60), Eidetic Memory (60), Immortality (25), Fast Regeneration (50), Resurrection (160), and Sense Immortals (15), plus the disadvantages of Compulsive Behaviour (Can't Fight on Holy Ground) (-10), Enemy (-30), Secret (-20), Sterile (-3), and Vulnerability: Beheading (-5) All pre-Immortals start off with Rapid Healing (5), and Sterile (-3). They are otherwise completely human. The cost of being a pre-Immortal is 2 points, although the GM may also charge an Unusual Background. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Advantages Alertness (B19) While Immortals automatically sense each other, this is nonetheless a very useful advantage. Alertness gives a bonus to Sensing Immortals as well as its usual benefits. Allies (B23) Friendship doesn't come easily among Immortals, but it does come. Immortals can have many allies, Immortal and mortal, throughout the years. Charisma (B19) Over the years, Immortals begin to sense their own power and strength. This often translates into a measure of Charisma. While mortals can't put their finger on it, they will somehow feel as though the Immortal is. . .different. Many older Immortals have this advantage. Combat Reflexes (B20) This advantage is extremely useful for Immortal who wants to live past 50. This is advantage can be learned, and often pre-Immortals who lack this advantage learn it from their Mentors after they die for the first time. Eidetic Memory (B20) Due to their regenerative abilities, Immortals have true photographic memories. They do not experience true memory decay until they have reached over 2,000 years. All mental skills count quadruple, except for Quickening Skills. Literacy (B21) Many Immortals were born in Tech Levels when this is an advantage. It is an excellent advantage to learn over the years. Patrons (B24) This is a common advantage for young Immortals, who have a mentor to teach how to fight, and protect them if neccessary. Rapid Healing (B23) All pre-Immortals automatically get this advantage. Wealth (B23) By the time of the Gathering, many Immortals have accumulated vast amounts of wealth. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Disadvantages Obviously, physical disadvantages may seem odd among a race of people who heal every wound, and cannot contract disease. However, physically imperfect Immortals do exist. They are rare in the movie universe. Series immortals cannot regrow lost limbs, so Immortals with the One-Leg, One-Arm, etc. type of disadvantages would be slightly more common. Addiction (B30) Immortals can get addicted to various substances over the years. The reason why is twofold; first, a good part of an addiction is psychological. Second, the "high" that comes from drugs is usually the result of the body fighting off a poison. Since an Immortal's immune system is stronger than the average mortal's, well. . . Furthermore, Immortals cannot overdose enough to kill themselves, although they can be incapacitated. Amnesia (B239) Immortals normally can not get amnesia by the usual means. However, an Immortal may get Partial Amnesia if they undergo some incredibly traumatic event, be this a horrendously failed Fright Check or the GM's decision. It is an extremely rare event. Code of Honor (B31) Many Immortals of a good nature have this disadvantage. Those born during the age of Chivalry may still cling to those ideals in a changing world. Combat Paralysis (B32) This disadvantage is detrimental to an Immortal, but can lead to very interesting role-playing. Compulsive Behavior (B32) All Immortals have this disadvantage in the form of Can't Fight on Holy Ground. There are two schools of thought on this. Immortals won't fight on Holy Ground, or Immortals can't fight on Holy Ground. The GM should chose which it is for his campaign, although he doesn't have to tell his players. If Immortals can't fight on Holy Ground, the GM should decide whether they can still duel (practice) on Holy Ground, or whether they are restricted to no violence. If it is the former, then Immortals can fight, even going all the way just short of a beheading. However, if an Immortal is beheaded, then the Quickening of the slain Immortal is strengthened by the Holy Ground, and turns lethal. The winning Immortal suffers 10d+10 of electrical damage from the lightning that surrounds a Quickening. This damage is so primeval Immortals cannot regenerate it. Immortals make their Health Roll at -10, as well. On the other hand, if this compulsion is the result of a tradition, then Immortals take no damage from the Quickening. Instead, this disadvantage becomes a -5 reputation, to all Immortals, recognized all the time. More Immortals will attack the character on sight, and few will trust him. It is up to the GM to punish the character for this; friends will be lost, and enemies gained. Dependents (B38) Over the years, Immortals may adopt children, take spouses or other dependents. One common dependent is an older Immortal taking a younger one under their wing. Until that younger Immortal learns to fight, he can be a big liability to his mentor. Enemy (B39) Immortals automatically start with a -30 point version of this disadvantage. This represents the large number of Immortals the character will have to face. Not all will seek his or her head, but a good number might, even if the two Immortals have no prior history. After all, there can be only one. Over the years, Immortals can gain many more Enemies, both mortal and Immortal. Fat (B28) This is one physical disadvantage Immortals are not immune to. If they wish to avoid it, or buy it off, they must work-out. Hemophilia (B28) Immortals are immune to this disadvantage. Illiteracy (B33) See Literacy above. Intolerance (B34) Many Immortals, born in earlier times, may have this disadvantage toward other races or genders. Some, as they grow older and wiser, lose their prejudices, but for others, new ideas are hard to cling to. Megalomania (B34) For some Immortals, the power of their Immortality causes them to feel superior to all living beings. Many evil Immortals have this disadvantage. If one of them wins the Prize, mortal man will suffer an eternity of darkness. On the Edge (B241) For other Immortals, the power of their Immortality causes them to take dangerous and foolhardy risks in the eyes of mortals. However, since there is less likely a chance of the character dying from his risks, this disadvantage is only worth -5 points for Immortals. Overconfidence (B34) This disadvantage is much like On the Edge for Immortals. It is particularly common among young Immortals, although it can get quite dangerous if the Immortal decides to take on a more powerful opponent. Overweight (B29) See Fat above. Pacifism (B35) After living through, and perhaps participating in many of mortal man's fights and wars, good Immortals may develop a sense of pacifism. Many good Immortals have the Self-Defense version of this disadvantage; fighting only those that come to them. Immortals with the Total non-violence or Cannot kill versions should best seek Holy Ground, and fast. Phobias (B35) Even Immortals are not immune to the incapacitating effects of a phobia. Those burned at the stake may still have crippling memories of the event at the sight of a lit match. Those who have fallen from great heights might retain a fear of heights long afterwards. Secret (B238) Immortals automatically have a -20 point Secret: their Immortality. If discovered or exposed, an Immortal faces being hunted by the Government and various private organizations for research or study, and faces a definite restriction on their freedom. It is unlikely, though, that an exposed Immortal faces permament death (although he may wish for it if found and caught). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ New Advantages Most of the advantages and disadvantages were taken from vampiric versions in GURPS Bloodtypes. However, not all are exactly the same, and different costs reflect this. Breathe Water - 10 points; The character can breathe water as if it was air. The character can talk in a limited fashion, move freely, and will never drown. Regeneration - 50/100 points; The character recovers from damage much faster than normal. The individual automatically has the Rapid Healing advantage at no extra cost. Cost of this advantage depends on the speed of regeneration. Fast Regeneration: recover 1 HT per minute. 50 points. Instant Regeneration: recover 1 HT per turn. 100 points Regrowth - 40 points; You can regrow lost limbs and organs. A lost ear, finger or toe will regrow in 1d weeks, a lost hand or foot in 1d+1 months. Immortality (cinematic) - 60 points; Members of this race will never die of natural causes and are tough to kill unnaturally! This advantage includes Doesn't Breathe, Immunity to Disease, Immunity to Poison and Unaging. Immortality (non-cinematic) -25 points; As above, except that this advantage includes only Immunity to Disease, and Unaging. Invulnerability - 160 points; Characters with this advantage can only be killed by a certain type of damage. They can be hurt by any type of damage, but can only be killed by their Vulnerability. Knockback is still caused by physical attacks. Characters take damage from weapons, and may be incapacitated by their wounds, but they will not die unless they receive the deathblow from their Vulnerability. Characters with Invulnerability suffer none of the debilitating effects of injury (negative modifiers, reducted Move, etc.); they simply shake off most wounds until they reach zero HT. Below zero HT, they are at half Move and suffer from crippling injuries. Hayoka - 40 points; You are hayoka, a special person meant to absorb the evil from the world. You automatically have the Taking of the Darkness skill at IQ and can take an additional 300 DQ points before you are overwhelmed by the Dark Quickening. Resurrection - 160 points; If an Immortal dies from any means other than beheading, they will come back to life. Starting one turn after death, the Immortal will begin regaining HT at the normal rate (note that series Immortals have Fast Regeneration). The Immortal remains unconscious until they have regained full HT. This can be accelerated by consecutive Will rolls; each consecutive Will roll gives the Immortal another point of regained HT in addition to the Regeneration. If the entire body is destroyed (burned entirely, disintegrated, etc.) the Immortal is permanently dead. Sense Immortals - 15 points; Immortals have the innate ability to sense each other. For movie Immortals, the base range for this 50 meters (150 feet). If the Immortal is calm and unexcited, he can make a roll at IQ+5, plus Alertness bonus, if any. If he fails, he makes another roll, at regular IQ plus Alertness, when the Immortal comes within 25 meters (75 feet). If he fails this roll, the Immortal can try again when the other Immortal is 1 meter (3 feet) away from him. If he fails this, he doesn't sense the Immortal until after he sees him. Note the GM can modify the difficulty of the roll if the Immortal is excited or aroused for some reason. Being in the midst of fighting, lovemaking, arguing or other exciting activity should modify the roll. For a television Immortal, it is much the same thing. The Immortal makes his first roll, without the bonus to IQ, when the other Immortal is 50 meters from him. If he fails, he makes repeated rolls every 10 meters until the Immortal is 10 feet away from him. He then automatically notices the other Immortal. The GM cannot modify the IQ roll if a series Immortal is excited. Once an Immortal senses another, he can ignore the feeling of the other Immortal's Quickening, so if another Immortal enters the area, he won't mistake the two. Unaging - 15 points Members of this race never grow old. Age is fixed at a certain point and will never change. Individuals never have to make aging rolls. Members of this race may not take the Age disadvantage. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ New Disadvantages Sterile - (-5 points); Anyone who has this disadvantage is completely infertile, and cannot have children by any means. This is incurable, and cannot be bought off. Vulnerability, Beheading - (-5 points); This disadvantage negates an Immortal's Invulnerability or Resurrection for this kind of an attack. In combat, the neck is a -3 to hit. However, the attacker must do over half-damage with one blow to successfully behead an opponent. Because of major arteries located in the neck, damage to the neck is doubled with cutting weapons. These rules must be used, even the GM runs combat with the Basic Combat system. However, the GM can rule this unnecessary if an Immortal is disarmed, defenseless, and defeated. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I Am Immortal... What is it like to be Immortal? How would it feel to live forever? Why do these Immortals fight? What is the Quickening? What is it to be more than human? This section will answer some of these questions. Who Wants to Live Forever? In their Immortality, these Immortals have mankind's greatest dream, and mankind's greatest curse. They will never age, and never die, unless their head comes away from their neck. Kings come and go, dynasties rise and fall, and yet the Immortal lives on, eternally young and healthy. Mortals toil endlessly in their brief span of lives to leave some sort of legacy, but Immortals have no need to. Their long life is their legacy, a testament to their skill and durability. With all this, how could one call Immortality a curse? Young Immortals often feel this way. Drunk with the power they feel in their Immortal blood, they carouse their way through life, secure in the knowledge that they will not die; that their bodies will not age and grow decrepit. However, that feeling soon disappears as Immortals watch the years, and then the decades pass by. Old friends, good friends, pass away. Over and over again, Immortals watch their loved ones die. Not only that, but some Immortals begin to feel guilty after watching comrade after comrade valiantly give their life in war, while the Immortal fights, not having to worry about death. It sobers the Immortal, until eventually, they become withdrawn, not wanting to love and be hurt again. They try to run from the guilt. Even though, except for their Immortality, Immortals are basically human, they have an odd sense about them. They don't seem alien, but the average human will still feel something...more about them. They may look as young as twenty years old, but the years they have seen, the ages that they have lived, will wear upon them like a mantle. Immortals rarely stay in one place for too long. After a while, their perpetual youth will be questioned, making life difficult. As a result, by the time they are old by Immortal standards, they usually have been to many different places in the world. Old accents they had might be lost, and old prejudices and ideas challenged. By the time of the Gathering, many have become true world citizens, not feeling really at home at any one place. This Is The Quickening! The Quickening is in all living things. It is intricately weaved into the very cycle of Nature. It is everything. Every being has the Quickening in them, but Immortals have it in even more. They are more attune to the Quickening in Nature, and to the Quickening in each other. An Immortal will continue to age after their first death, but their aging is slowed tremendously after they receive their first Quickening. For series Immortals, this will normally follow after their first beheading. However, it is different for movie Immortals. When they first meet another Immortal after having died, they will not sense them normally. Instead, the feeling of the other Immortal's Quickening will cause them to feel a pain in their stomach. If there is a storm, or even just storm clouds, there is a 90% chance that 1d6 lightning bolts will strike the new Immortal. When an Immortal is beheaded, the Quickening inside him is released; it is drawn out by the other Immortal. If a mortal beheads an Immortal, the Quickening will still be released, but it will seep out with the Immortal's lifeblood, and will not be visible. After an Immortal beheads another, the Quickening levitates the body into the air. The victorious Immortal is paralyzed for the duration of the Quickening, which is 1d6-3 minutes. A result of 1, 2, or 3 means the Quickening lasts for 45 seconds. Lightning shoots from the body, striking randomly, including the surviving Immortal. Anything in a 30 foot radius of the body takes 1 die of damage per minute (except for the winning Immortal), and everything in a 100 foot radius made of glass or having a DR of 1 is automatically destroyed. As for the victorious Immortal, while all this is going on around him, the raw essence of the knowledge and power the other Immortal had is thrust into him. In terms of game mechanics, the triumphant Immortal gains 1 percent (rounding up) of the losing Immortal's point total in Character Points. These are in addition to any others he may gain through regular play. For each Character Point the winning Immortal gains from the loser, they lose 1 Fatigue point. For example, Simon the Immortal beheads Garfunkel the Immortal. Garfunkel was a fairly experienced Immortal with 689 points. One percent of 689 is 6.89. This rounds up to 7, so Simon gains 7 points, plus the 5 points the GM awards him at the end of the session. Simon also loses 7 Fatigue points. Note that these rules apply even for pre-Immortals, although their point totals are not likely to be high enough to yield more than 1 or 2 points. Light and Dark Quickenings This rule is completely optional, and the GM never has to use it. Like the Watchers, it is from the tv series, but can be used in a movie campaign as well. If it is used, then the players must make a hard and fast decision about their characters: are they good, or are they evil? It is considered a myth, a kind of Immortal bogeyman; the Dark Quickening. Many Immortals don't believe in it, but the mere possibility os it's existance is enough to keep good Immortals from hunting evil ones. It's thought a myth by many Immortals and by the Watchers, but what if it were true? If the characters are good, then they must maintain a DQ score, and if they are evil, they must maintain an LQ score. Everytime they take the head of an opposed Immortal (good immortals for evil immortals, and vice versa), they receive the same amount of DQ/LQ points as they received of character points. Thus, if a good Immortal beheads an evil 600 point Immortal, then he receives 6 DQ points. If the DQ/LQ amount ever gets above 500, then it overloads the Immortal, and undergoes a change. Those with 500 DQ points immediately gains the following disadvantages: Beserk, Bloodlust, Bully, Megalomania and Sadism. They lost any Code of Honor or Sense of Duty they had, and may even gain an Odious Personal Habit, at GM's discretion. Those with 500 LQ points immediately gain Honesty, Pacifism (Total Non-Violence), and Truthfulness. They lose any Odious Personal Habit, and may gain a Sense of Duty. Immortals can fight this change. If the player wishes to redeem his character either way, the character must make a Will roll -10. Success resets his LQ or DQ score at 25. Every new Quickening opposed to their new condition reduces the modifier by 1. Thus, Aegis has undergone a Dark Quickening. He tries to fight the darkness. He has an IQ of 14, but when he rolls his Will he rolls a 12. He remains evil and eventually takes the head of a good Immortal. He now makes the roll at -9. Eventually, those that fight it will redeem themselves, in their own eyes, which is why it is not a common phenomenon. There are rumors of special, mystical places that add in the recovery of Dark and Light Quickenings. Immortals also lose DQ/LQ points over time. Every six months an Immortal doesn't take an opposed Quickening, his DQ/LQ score is reduced by one. Every time an Immortal takes a like Quickening (i.e. a good Immortal beheads another good Immortal), then their DQ/LQ score is reduced by the number of Character Points they earn from the Quickening, unless they are already over the 500 mark. If an Immortal under the influence of a Light or Dark Quickening is beheaded, then the Immortal who gets his Quickening receives 25% of their LQ/DQ points, unless they are like Immortals (an evil Immortal beheads an Immortal under a Dark Quickening). Immortals can also learn and develop Quickening powers. These are M/VH skills, and are explained below. At Last...The Gathering Ah...the Gathering. No Immortal, old or young, big or small, male or female has the Gathering far from their mind. Each duel that ends with the Quickening brings the Gathering closer. It is a prophecy of sorts; when only a few Immortals remain, they will be drawn together. Then, they shall fight for the Prize. Indeed, the Gathering weighs more on the mind of the Immortal than the Prize does; not every Immortal desires the Prize, but the Gathering will determine their destiny once and for all. In the cinematic campaign, the Gathering is a prelude. A prelude to doom, or ultimate power. The Gathering occurs at a pre-determined place, and Immortals will feel an irresistible pull towards that place. It is encouraged for Game Masters not to feel necessarily constricted by the original movie. The Gathering can occur anytime they wish it, and anywhere. A "few" Immortals can mean anywhere from 200 to five. The faraway land does not have to be New York, nor does it really have to be pre-determined. For those that would like mechanics, here are some suggestions. The Gathering is preceded by an urge to travel to the GM-determined spot. This is manifested in a Compulsive Behavior (-10 points). The Immortal must make a Will roll everyday he wishes to put off traveling to the place of the Gathering. This roll receives a -1 modifier every two weeks. If the Immortal fails the roll, he must settle his affairs as quickly as possible and make for the faraway land with all haste. The Gathering then occurs when the last five Immortals are gathered in the one location. The non-cinematic (series) Gathering is less compulsive. It is not so much a pre-determined last battle as much as a time when the Immortals that remain decide to cut each other a little less slack. As the Prize gets nearer, mercy begins to fade away; after all, there can be only One. This type of Gathering occurs when there are perhaps 200-250 Immortals left in the world. Which brings up yet another question. How many Immortals will there be in your campaign? Movie Immortals are born, yet series Immortals are all foundlings. If the first is chosen, then the percentage of Immortals born is likely reflected in the population of the world. The number of Immortals would increase in the Middle Ages as the population increased. But, since Immortals do not die at the same rate as mortals, their numbers are likely to be a steady rise, instead of the normal peaks and valleys. At a certain point, Immortals stop being born, and the Immortal population begins to take a drastic drop. Yet, if the occurance of Immortals is more random, as in the series, then the Immortal population would fluctuate, perhaps drastically extending the Gathering. GMs may mix and match these options as they like. Do not feel bound by either the t.v., movie, or cartoon universes. One of the goals of this supplement is to give GMs the option of taking what they want from both universes to create their own. The Watchers This material is all taken from the tv series. However, it can easily be used in a movie universe campaign. The Watchers are an ancient society. They know of Immortals, and they know the truth; there can be only One. For reasons of their own, the Watchers watch the Immortals. Watch, but never interfere. Their ranks are made from many, many different people. Scholars, athletes, detectives, researchers, people from all different races, and all different backgrounds. They watch the lives of the Immortals, and they chronicle them. Little is known of the Watcher hierarchy, except for those extremely high up. The Watchers are split into two groups; field agents, and researchers. Of the two, the field agents have the more demanding, dangerous work. They are often quite physically fit, although this is not a requirement. One of the more successful field agents, Joe Dawson, is a double amputee, and walks with prostethic limbs and a cane. In either field work, or research a quick mind is essential. Researchers make their home at the Watcher bases throughout the world, usually disguised as libraries or bookstores. The job of the researcher is to find out as much information about certain Immortals as they can, cross-referencing old texts, scrolls, paintings, and the Watchers' own Chronicles. While field agents see who takes whose head in the present, researchers deduce who took whose head in the past. It is not an easy task, and their records are not always completely accurate. The Hunters For some Watchers, the pressure was too much. It perhaps would have been better if they didn't know the truth about Immortals, for it weighs on their mind everyday. One Immortal will gain the power. One Immortal will rule over humankind. Who knows what the Prize really will be? Perhaps even the best of the Immortals will turn evil once he holds the absolute power of the Prize. So, some Watchers decided to take action. If they could kill all the Immortals first, then the combined Quickenings of all the Immortals would not create the Prize. There would be no One. There would be no Gathering. There would be no Prize. Thus was born the Hunters. Good? Bad? Hunters care for none of this. Each and every Immortal poses a threat, especially the older ones. For some Hunters, a racist jealously consumes them; why should Immortals live thus, never dying? These Hunters welcome the chance to bring mortality to the Immortal. Watchers and Hunters should be built with 100 points for a series campaign, and 200 for a cinematic campaign. GMs might even want to increase this total to 250 or 300 for Hunters in a movie campaign, where Immortals are a bit more dangerous. It takes more than "enough lead to drop a rhino" to defeat the likes of the Kurgan. The Prize The Prize, like the Gathering, is in the back of the mind of many Immortals. To them it is an enigma. They know not how it will manifest, nor what effects it will have on the One, the last Immortal. They only know that if an evil Immortal wins it, mankind will plunge into an eternity of darkness. What is the Prize? GMs are especially encouraged here to use their imaginations. Indeed, nothing is set in stone, especially for those using a series campaign. The Prize may be different depending on the Immortal who wins it. For some, raw destructive power. For others, miraculous healing ability. For yet others, perhaps amazing cognitive abilities. The possibilities are endless, as the Prize is. For those who, again, wish easy mechanics, this is a GURPS version of the Prize featured at the end of the first movie. * Telereceive at IQ+5, Power 70. * Precognition at IQ+5, Power 70. * Loss of Immortal Package. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Power of the Quickening Below are listed a number of skills from both the movies and the tv series. Those marked a "HL1" are from the first movie, those marked "TV" are from the series, and so on. There is the possibility of overlap. They are all Mental/VH, and operate on a global scale. Knowledge of Names (HL1) This power allows an Immortal, through the power of the Quickening to know who an Immortal is, even if they are in disguise or using an alias. This can be combined with "Sense of Death" to deduce who has killed who. Sense Pre-Immortal (HL1, TV) An Immortal with this power can sense if a mortal is actually an Immortal before his first death or first Quickening. This can also be combined with Knowledge of Names to learn the name of the unsuspecting pre-Immortal. Quickening of the Blade (HL1,2,3, TV) This useful power is one of the easiest to learn, and many Immortals learn it. It is the only Mental/Hard Quickening skill. On a successful skill role, the Immortal channels his inherent Quickening down his blade for one turn. This adds an additional die of damage, plus renders the sword unbreakable for that turn. A critical success means the blade automatically does +6 points of damage. This is a useful skill for beheadings, when high amounts of damage are needed. Immortals can keep using this skill every turn, but every ten turns this power is used costs an additional point of fatigue at the end of the duel. The Power of Illusion (HL3) This power is completely optional, and left to the GM's discretion. An Immortal who wishes to purchase this power must have Magery at level three. Immortals with this skill can create a number of Illusions per day, determined by a d6. Each Illusion requires a skill roll, and costs 2 points of Fatigue. The limits of the Illusions are rather broad. Invisibility, shapeshifting and the like are the more common uses. The GM has final say on all Illusions. The Sight (HLTV) This is the same as Precognition at power 5. Additional power may be bought. However, this power can only be used passively. Sense of Death (HL1) With this power, an Immortal can sense when another Immortal has died. The Immortal feels the change in collective Quickening of all the Immortals. This roll is always made secretly by the GM whenever an Immortal dies. If the roll is failed, the Immortal doesn't notice the death. Quickening Link (HL2) Only one Immortal need have this power. If he links with one or more Immortals through their Quickenings, a strong bond is created. The Immortals can call each other telepathically over long distances, although conversations are not possible. Contrary to legend, it is not possible to bring back a slain Immortal through this power. Taking of the Darkness (HLTV) This skill is only available with the Dark Quickening rules. This is a rare skill, and not taught much at all. An Immortal with this skill can absorb the evil around them. Characters that are basically good, yet have some flaw, may have an Immortal with this skill absorb the darkness in them. The flaw must be expressed by a disadvantage. The character absorbing the darkness then receives an amount of Dark Quickening points equal to the point total of the disadvantage. Every disadvantage besides the first one adds a +2 modifier to the skill roll. For example, Duncan Macleod is insane over the death of his adopted Sioux family. He now has Beserk and a 10 point Obsession. Kol'tek, a hayoka with Taking of the Darkness at 17, attempts to absorb his darkness. He rolls a 13, but since he's attempting to absorb two disadvantages, his modified roll is 15. Still within range. Macleod's darkness is absorbed, but now Kol'tek has an additional 25 DQ points. The Last...(HL1) A special and useful power, this is not a well known one, and not commonly taught. In a way, any Immortal who uses any other of the above powers is tapping on this one, but in a superficial way. An Immortal who wants this power must start as character with the Empathy advantage. There has to be something innate in the Immortal that makes them inclined to be receptive to mood, feeling, and emotion. With this power, an Immortal is able to zero in on another living subject's Quickening, and feel everything they feel. One useful application of this power is as a source to regain lost fatigue after a fight or Quickening. By feeling the Quickening of an animal, an Immortal can fully replenish their Fatigue points, although they are likely to be wild and excited after doing this. If done to a human mortal, an Immortal would know not the specific thoughts of the mortal, but the exact emotions would be felt, as would everything the mortal saw, smelled, tasted, touched, or heard. This is not exactly something that can be done secretly at a party, as this kind of communion would affect the Immortal greatly. They would feel the urge to act out whatever emotion, be it anger, lust, love, or sadness, the mortal was feeling the most at the moment. A Will roll is required to avoid this. However, a critical success on the skill roll allows an Immortal to feel everything, but keep a certain amount of self-control. A Will roll would not be required. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Swords This is small, incomplete, section on various swords. It is here to provide variety for players, so that not all Immortals have European swords, or perhaps katana. A quick trip to the local library can also prove quite useful. Prices may vary depending on time period. A rapier may be the equivalent of 20 bucks in Revolutionary France, but the same rapier may be worth $200 today. GMs should set price according to availability and quality of the weapon. Gladius Essentially a short sword, used in Roman times. Has a reach of 1 hex. Min ST: 7 Dmg: sw, thr Kris A serpentine blade of Malaysia. Has a reach of 1 hex. Min ST: 7 Dmg: sw, thr+1 Butterfly Sword Used in pairs, these swords resemble shorter, thicker jiandao. Reach of 1 hex. Min ST: 10 Dmg: sw+1 Wakazashi A Japanese shortsword. Usually extremely well-made. Reach of 1 hex. Min ST: 7 Dmg: sw, thr Nodachi A large sword resembling the katana in shape and style, but having a much longer length. It has a blunt tip, and does crushing damage when thrusting. Reach of 2 hexes. Min ST: 12 Dmg: sw+4, thr+2 U.S. Continental Army Sabre (1780 AD) Used in the Revolutionary War. Still early enough in warfare that the sword might be well-made. Reach of 1 hex. Min ST: 7 Dmg: sw, thr+1 U.S. Army Cavalry Saber (1865 AD) Of the type used during the Civil War. Many were just for show, but a few good, useful ones may still have been made. Reach of 1 hex. Min ST: 7 Dmg: sw, thr Fencing Saber An edged sword, it is normally not strong enough to chop anything, and has a maximum cutting damge of 1d. However, this can be offset with the Quickening of the Blade skill. Reach of 1 hex. Min ST: none Dmg: thr+1, sw-1 Toledo Broadsword (1100 AD) Swords made in Toledo, Spain have an excellent reputation. Has a reach of 1 hex. Min ST: 8 Dmg: sw+1, thr+1 Bolo A Phillipine sword much like machete. Reach of 1 hex. Min ST: 10 Dmg sw+1 Qing-Dynasty Jiandao (1680 AD) Jiandao means "straight blade" in Chinese. It is a standard thrusting sword, often used in tai-chi sword forms. Has a reach of 2 hexes. Min ST: 8 Dmg: sw, thr+1 Katana The famed Japanese sword, they were not particularly more sharp than any other sword. However, they were very-well built and strong. Treat a normal katana as a fine sword with regards to chance of breaking. Can be used with one hand, or two. Has a reach of 2 hexes. Min ST: 11 Dmg: sw+2/+3, thr+2 German Hand-and-a-Half Sword A bastard sword, it can be used with one hand, or with two. Reach of 2 hexes. Min ST: 10 Dmg: sw+2, thr+2 Claymore The famous Scottish greatsword. Very large and heavy, though the hardy Highlanders could wield them with one hand if needed. Major disadvantage is their difficulty to conceal in 20th Century clothes. Reach of 2 hexes. Min ST: 12 Dmg: sw+3, thr+3 Swords are an integral part of the Highlander campaign, and a character's choice of weapon should not be made lightly. Players should come up with little histories with regards to their characters' weapons. Where did they get it from? Where and when have they used it? Weapons that have special abilities or backgrounds (A dragon-head tachi made a thousand years before the Japanese begin making similar swords; a jiandao made especially strong using the secret methods of an ancient family of swordsmiths) should be charged an Unusual Background cost. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sample Characters Eventually I plan to have hypertext character sheets for each of these characters. * Connor MacLeod * Kurgan * Ramirez * Duncan MacLeod * Richie Ryan * Daniel Crosby The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the University of Minnesota.