Necromancer Cults & Necro-Tech Magic Devices

[DD The Shmey]

I wanted to create a thread to present some of my ideas for Necromancer Cults, and Necro-Tech Devices. Hopefully I can get some feedback, and bounce ideas off all you good people here on the forums similar with what the Shemarrian-related fan creations and other threads have done.

I think I'll start with a few Necromancer cults and covens that each has some kind of unique leader. Many of these cults know of the existence of the other cults, and sometimes share information with one another. I intend to have many of them operating in the Pheonix Empire on Rifts Earth, as well as some other dimensions including a space setting I created similar to Phase World and the Three Galaxies (read as, I've designed some Necro-Tech Spaceships).

[Shark_Force]

might i suggest you start with defining what exactly a necro-tech magic device is?

[DD The Shmey]

Cults of the Faceless One

Murder, Deceit, Cohesion, and Lies form the cornerstones of the Cults of the Faceless One, a cult which is centered around one man known as the Puppet Master or The Faceless One. There have been several different chapters and iterations of these cults that have sprung up over the years as The Faceless One has traveled to different locations around Rifts Earth (or other dimensions). Often times these cults fizzle out after their master loses interest in one region, however traces of the cults usually remain. The cults often present the influence of their master as some kind of fundamental force of nature, attributing his directives are some kind of timeless invisible hand guiding humanity (and D-Bees) like a god. The truth is these beliefs are all lies, and the Faceless Man is nothing more than a conman who has used his unique necromatic powers involving possessing the dead in order to gain influence and build a cult around himself.

The Faceless One (aka The Puppet Master)
No one knows who he is, or where he is. He always meets others wearing the skins of one of his countless puppets. Uses the spell Transfer Life Force extensively to hop from body to body.

Character stats and level to be determined.

Unique Natural Abilities:
1) No Range or duration restrictions for Transfer Life Force spell, and the spell can be cast mentally (no verbal or hand gestures needed) and only costs him 10 PPE.
2) At will he can see through the eyes of any undead or animated dead that he has created (only 1 at a time)

Additional Abilities/Tactics/Facts:
3) Animated dead that he possesses (his puppets) can cast spells through the use of PPE gained from PPE batteries and other sources. Uses Emerald and Necromantic amulets to supply PPE to his puppets.
4) Through the use of Siphon Component/Talisman (see rifter 62 pg43), he sometimes turns body parts of his victims into PPE Batteries
5) Recent remains of a well known public official + spells preserve remains + create zombie + Transfer life force = permanent puppet with the option of possession
6) No one knows where his original body is, if anyone does it is a closely guarded secret. It is possible that original body doesn't exist anymore, and he only exists inside his puppets.
7) He originally appeared sometime during the cataclysm shortly after the opening of Rifts on Earth

[DD The Shmey]

might i suggest you start with defining what exactly a necro-tech magic device is?

Sure thing, Necro-Tech devices were originally introduced in Rifter #13. They are a form of Technowizardry that employs necromancy and dead body parts similar to how Biowizardry employs living organisms.

The article described that Necro-Tech is able to manufacture many kinds of techno-wizard creations through the use of appropriate dead body parts (like Bat skulls) substituted for the standard physical requirement (like quartz crystals) found in the traditional TW device.

There were also stats on Necro-Tech Bionics (Skeletal arms and what not) and some techno zombie monster things.

[DD The Shmey]

The Scarlet Cult is popular among the wealthy slave owners in the Pheonix kingdom. These nobleman, noblewoman, and wealthy but not so noble monsters often live decadent lives only made possible through the use of slavery. They do not place much value on a human life, and will use their slaves in blood rituals and sacrifices. The Scarlet Cult embraces the use of blood magic and necromancy, and practices a doctrine of prosperity theology that holds that financial blessings are only given to those who are worthy, and is a sign that the wealthy are better than everyone else.
The Scarlet Queen is the most famous member of the cult, however the cult itself does not have any formal central leadership with individual covens being largely autonomous, and only linked through common scriptures and beliefs. There are many new fads that spread within the cult, passed on through book clubs or at parties. Fads include things like fashion, food, popularity of certain D-Bee slaves, and new kinds of blood magic.

The Scarlet Queen
Uses blood magic (See Rifter 2) and necromancy
Used the spell Return from the Grave to become undead.
Through various dark magics over the centuries she has been able to return some mental attributes that were lost during the conversion, and has regained the ability to advance occ skills and gain new ones.
She has a cadre of vampire servants and guardians who worship her and has collected a number of artifacts and ruin magic over the years.
She has a large estate/manor in the Pheonix Kingdom located on lake Fitri in southern Chad the is serving as a governor of the surrounding area. She also has properties in Rama City and elsewhere with lots of rumors of wild decadent parties at her estates. There is a fairly large subjugated human population in her region which she uses as livestock for her vampire minions, as well as in the slave trade which has made her rich.
70 years ago she had torrid affair with Pharoh Rama-Set, and continues to have some ties with him. She realized that no one was safe from the Pharoh's mood swings and growing madness, and that a continued relationship would end in her death.

[DD The Shmey]

The Crimson Tears - Unique Necro-Tech Bone Corvette

The Crimson Tears is a large 494 foot long trans-atmospheric corvette powered by dark magic. The ship is a hybrid of Techno Wizardry and Necro-Tech construction techniques and incorporates a significant amount of remolded and enchanted bone, and other lifeless organic components preserved and in some cases animated with necromantic magic.

Image drawn by me:
https://i.imgur.com/H6XmtJW.png

Appearance:

The Crimson Tears is the pride and joy of its creator, Necro-Tech Master Simon de Vass. Over the years so many modifications have been made that if you compared a few snap shots of the vessel from throughout the years one could scarcely recognize that they were from the same ship. The most striking feature is a large (120 ft diameter) skull motif that has been magically shaped out of real bone. The skull motif is heavily fortified and houses the bridge for the ship. Some of the shape of the vessel is reminiscent of an sea going vesicle including a forward prow and a section of open deck. There is a large reinforced beam running along the dorsal edge of the ship reminiscent of a spinal column that is also made out of enchanted bone that is supported with several large bone struts. At the rear of the space ship are two large vertical fins with a bank of engines between the fins. As the ship maneuvers around the fins will articulate and bend like the rear tail of a fish and can act as control surfaces when it moves through atmosphere.

The ship also serves as a research facility and workshop for the creation of new Necro-Tech devices. It has a charnel house for storing dead body parts, macabre laboratories, embalming rooms, and a workshop that looks like it is out of Frankenstein. Half of the crew is comprised of techno-zombies (will be described later) with a few Techno-Horror zombies (see Rifter 13 page 74, built at 7th level) in key places.

Additional background on ship's history (first draft subject to change)

Spoiler:

Construction of the ship began 42 years ago on the orders of a cruel demonic entity known as the Crimson King, with Necro-Tech Master Simon de Vass as its lead engineer and necro-technician. The Crimson King wanted to construct a fleet of flying ships similar to the Black Ships (demonic vessels, see WB6 pg165) with the Crimson Tears as its larger flagship, and believed that the new developing field of Necro-Tech would be the key to achieving this vision. Simon became obsessed with this project and implementing his new experimental ideas into the ship. At first his master was pleased with this enthusiasm, however it was not long before his master became angry at the ever slipping schedule, and constant scope creep and made this clear to his subordinate. Simon's obsession had consumed him, and he ignored his masters warnings and continued to introduce ideas and features that exceeded the ships original design parameters.

On one fateful day Simon learned that his master intended to kill him for to his disobedience after an upcoming milestone flight test was completed and would turn the project over to others to finish. Distressed with this news Simon organized a group of fellow Necro-Techs, engineers, and other slaves and came up with a plan to escape. On the day of the flight test, they released a powerful shifter who was imprisoned in the dungeons and commandeered the ship during the flight test. As the Crimson King's other minions pursued, the shifter opened up a large rift through which the ship escaped. The rift brought the Crimson Tears to a dimension with space faring civilizations and advanced technology and magic similar to the Three Galaxies. Simon and his renegade crew became pirates, scavengers, and mercenaries in this new dimension, all the while being hunted by minions of the Crimson King seeking revenge. Over the years Simon continued to upgrade the ship with new technology allowing it to travel into space. Eventually Simon de Vass would return home with the ship and help to overthrow his former master during a slave uprising, but that is a story for another time.

The Crimson Tears - Unique Necro-Tech Bone Corvette
Type: Trans-Atmospheric Magic Spacecraft/Yacht
Class: Unique Necro-Tech Bone Corvette
Basic Crew: 40-60
Auxiliary Pilots & Hanger Support: 50-65
Officers: 18 including 3 Necro-Tech, 3 TechnoWizards, 3 Necromancers
Auxiliaries (Large Hanger with large ventral door and two small doors on sides):

(typical load out)
2 Small Shuttles (80x40x30ft),
8 Medium Fighters (45-60ft),
25 Power Armor (up to 12ft tall)

MDC/Armor by Location:

Main Body: 7,800
Giant Skull Motif: 2,400
Engines(3): 900 each
Large Hanger: 1,600
Large Ventral Hanger Door: 400
Side Hanger Doors(2): 250 each
Tail Fins(2): 900each
Necro-Armor Magical Barrier: 4,550

Height: 174 ft
Width: 188 ft
Length: 494ft (696ft with tail fins)
Weight: 23,500 tons
Cargo: 3500 tons of available cargo space

This amount is in addition to storage for standard provisions and ammunition the vessel. The vessel also has additional holding pens for slaves that can house up to 500 slaves as well as a charnel house and embalming laboratory that typically houses 4-600 corpses.

Power System: Multiple TW power plants and mystic generators provide conventional power, and are a resource to draw PPE from.

See more under mystic systems

Speed: Mach 6 in space, 500mph in atmosphere, Trans-atmospheric

1000mph on a ley line(TechnoWizardry-powered)
Able to be submerged under water and move at 40mph (80mph on surface like a boat), however none of the weapon system are able to operate underwater except for the large TK Mega Burst Cannons (1/4 range and 1/2 damage). Even after returning to the surface most weapon systems will not be operable until a maintenance crew has had time to service them (drain water and repair any damaged controls) which is likely to take 1d4 hours.

FTL: Class 3 Gromekian TW Jump Drive

Limited to one jump per day of distance limited only by PPE
PPE cost for Jump: 1000PPE +500PPE per light year after first
Note: Class 3 Gromekian Jump drives are only suitable for ships under 500ft length

Market Cost: Not available,

Would sell for no less than 8 billion credits based on the ships capabilities and magical nature, however to the right buyer it could go 5 times this much

Systems of Note:

A conventional civilian rated sensor sweet was lifted from another ship and installed into the Crimson Tears.

The Crimson Tears – Mystic Generators & Jump Drive
1. The Soul Engine (Ruin Artifact):

The Soul Engine might be considered by some to be a greater Ruin artifact, however it is much more closely related to Soulcraft magic (see Vampire sourcebook pg122). The core of the Soul Engine was actually the result of a failed attempt in the production of a Soul Forge by the being know as The Dark Revenant. This failed soul forge was able to break down victims souls into a form of magic energy, but was unable to reconstitute that energy to forge dark magical items. Instead an elaborate system of NecroTech devices encapsulates the soul forge to refine the raw energy into mystic PPE available to power the ships TW and NT magic weapons and systems.
PPE contents: 5000, regenerate 2500/day. P.P.E. can be used to power Magic Systems, or can be drawn upon by the Magic User linked with it. The system is powered by burning the souls of beings thrown into the engine. Each mortal sacrificed in this way will power the engine for 1d4 weeks.

2. (6) Six smaller TW PPE/Power Generators:

Each smaller generator holds 250PPE, and regenerates 50 PPE per day. The generators also generate electricity for the ship and life support systems. 4 generators are required to keep the ships systems functional.

3. Gromekian Rift Jump Drive:

Creates a mystic rift through space that the ship can pass through to travel light years in a blink of an eye. Able to jump a number of light years only limited by PPE, 1000PPE + 500PPE per light year after first. The Rift begins to close immediately after a ship has passed through it, however the Rift is big enough that ships less than 100ft length can slip in with the larger ship.

The Crimson Tears – Mystic Systems
1. TW Weapon System Power Cost: Mega TK Turrets 750PPE/hr
2. NT Corrosive Bolt HAC each requires 216PPE to replenish/activate payload of 18
3. Necro-Armor Magical Armor Barrier

The ship is covered with a magical barrier formed of a mass of bones, skeletal fragments, and putrid remains covering the ship and providing 4,550 MDC of protection. Costs 800PPE per 7 minutes of activation. Formation of the Necro-Armor is frightening to watch, save vs HF13. Note: 50 Necro-Armor enchantments were woven together in a tapestry across the hull of the ship to create this protective barrier.

4. Hull Regeneration

Due to the organic nature of much of the construction of this ship, it can be easily repaired using Necromantic energy. damage to the hull can be repaired at 100mdc replaced per 75ppe input. Regeneration of 100mdc takes 1 hour.
(Can fully regenerate hull due to bone materials and necromantic nature)

5. Invisibility (Superior):

Renders ship invisible to visual sensors, infrared, radar. Can be seen with magic/psychic "see the invisible". Gravimetric sensors will detect the existence and a vague location of the ship. Costs 1000PPE per 21 minutes of activation. Any attacks made by while invisible will remove the invisibility. Attackers without magic "see the invisible" are at -5 to hit. Note: 50 Invisibility (Superior) enchantments were woven together in a tapestry to create this obscuring magic.

6. Protective Swarm

Conjures an undead swarm of insects that swarm around the ship forming a protective shield. The swarm reduces damage from energy attacks (including lasers, ion, and plasma blasts) and explosives by half, and absorbs the first 10 MDC of any attack leveled at the ship. The swarm also obscures the ship making it more difficult to get a clear shot, -2 to strike (those inside the swarm can see through with no ill effect). Cost 450PPE/7minutes

7. Eyes of the Wolf Sensors

At 10 locations around the exterior (and a few points on the interior) of the ship a taxidermy head of an animal is mounted to the hull/wall. The eyes in each head are enchanted with Eyes of the Wolf and act as surveillance cameras sending images of what they see back to a remote viewing station on the bridge. The effect of these sensors allows the sensor operator to have a full view around the ship with and the ability to activate the effect of the spell Eyes of the Wolf for 35 minutes (cost 25PPE per camera activated). This includes Nightvision 60ft, See the invisible 75%, Identify plants/fruits 70%, Identify Tracks 85%, Track 50%, Recognize Poison 65%

Weapons Systems: (note all weapon ranges are Double in space)
1. (2) Dual Mega TK Burst Cannon Turret --

- - These large cannons are based on a technowizard design that generate bolts of telekinetic force to impact the target without the need for an actual projectile. The original design was altered and supplemented to include lifeless organic components from a race of large telekinetic flying fish. These additions allowed the weapons to maintain sustained fire during its activation period rather than requiring input of PPE each time it was fired. While activated these organic components come to life and can be seen wiggling slightly.
Range: 15 miles
Damage: 2d6x100 per burst
Rate of Fire: each burst counts as one melee action, the Techno-Horror gunners have 7 attacks per melee and +6 to strike
Payload: Unlimited within the duration that the Mega TK Turrets are powered. Requires input of 750 PPE to power both the weapons for one hour.

2. (4) Corrosive Bolt Heavy Autocannon Battery

-- These single barrel large bore autocannons use conventional technology to launch projectiles at high velocities. They are single fire, and are loaded mechanically from a magazine holding 18 shells. Typically the autocannons fire special enchanted rounds that contain magical corrosive warheads that erupt in a green corrosive slime upon impact that burns for three melees.
Range: 8 miles
Damage: 4d6x10+Corrosion burning for enchanted Corrosive Bolt rounds Corrosion deals 2d6x10 2nd melee and 1d6x10 3rd melee, Opponent saves vs magic for half damage. Energy fields, beings of energy, and nonmaterial surfaces take only half damage from the initial 4d6x10 and take no damage from the additional corrosive effects. Alternatively the Heavy Autocannon can fire a more conventional HE explosive round dealing 1d6x10 MD to a 5ft radius.
Rate of Fire: each bolt fired counts as one action. The Techno-Horror gunners have 7 attacks per melee and +6 to strike
Payload: 18 rounds, with additional 1440 Corrosive bolt rounds in storage, and 720 conventional rounds. Requires 3 melee actions to load team to change magazine. After loading of magazine of Corrosive Bolts the ammunition requires an input of 216PPE to activate the 18 magical warheads. If the ammunition is not fired within an hour after activation it will corrode itself and need to be ejected.

3. (8) TW Plasma Cannon

-- These techno wizard plasma cannons serve as the immediate point defense for Crimson Tears Frigate. The weapons trade range for additional fire power and can be powered either through conventional electrical power or by magic.
Range: 1000ft
Damage: 2d6x10
Rate of Fire: Each blast counts as one melee action, typically manned by Techno-Zombies with 4 attacks per melee
Payload: Unlimited, tapped into ship power, in the event that the ship loses power these cannons can be powered magically by inputting 80 PPE to allow 9 more blasts.

4. (12) Long Range Missile Tubes

-- Long range missiles provide a tactical answer to fighting foes from great distances. The Necro-Tech researchers have developed a number of magical warheads to be used in the LRMs, and over half of the missile complement is dedicated to these necromantic warheads.
Range: 1000 miles
Damage: Varies, 4d6x10 for conventional HE warheads, each tube also has a complement of 7 Magic Necromantic LRM Warheads (see below)
Rate of Fire: Each tube can fire one missile per melee, but any number of tubes up to all 12 tubes can fire together in one volley. Each volley counts as one melee attack.
Payload: 132 total, includes (48) HE warheads
Magic Necromantic LRM Warheads Complement

(36) Corrosive Bolt Multi Warhead – see missile description
(24) Sphere of Pitch Black – see missile description below
(12) Deaths Embrace - see missile description below
(12) Blight Spores – see missile description below
Necromantic LRM Warheads

1) Corrosive Bolt Warhead – 4d6x10+Corrosive burning
Corrosion deals 2d6x10 2nd melee and 1d6x10 3rd melee,
Opponent saves vs magic for half damage. Energy fields, beings of energy, and nonmaterial surfaces take only half damage from the initial 4d6x10 and take no damage from the additional corrosive effects.
2) Sphere of Pitch Black, LRM explodes creating a 56ft diameter sphere of pitch black that attaches to the ship it strikes and moves with it obscuring vision of the pilots for 14 minutes. Those inside are completely blind, including sensors; -8 to strike anything outside, see Rifter62 pg43 for details
3) Deaths Embrace, summon demoralizing aberration that appears inside enemy spacecraft, See WB18 Mystic Russia pg100 for details.
4) Blight Spores – 350ft diameter cloud of spores that cover ships passing through it with slimy blight that reduces movement speed to 25%. Duration: 7 minutes. See new spell for details.

5. (6) Short Range Missile Turrets

-- These short range missile turrets complement the ships defensive and offensive weaponry providing additional point defense to counter missile volleys as well as shoot down fighters and power armor coming within range.
Range: 6 miles
Damage: 1d6x10 fragmentation, or 2d4x10 High Explosive.
Rate of fire: one at a time or in volleys up to 12 for each turret
Payload: each turret has a payload of 96 missiles, with a total of 676 SRMs on board

-----------------------------

New Necromancer Spells

Protective Swarm – conjures an undead swarm of insects that swarm around the caster forming a protective shield. The swarm reduces damage from energy attacks (including lasers, ion, and plasma blasts) and explosives by half, and absorbs the first 10 MDC of any attack leveled at the caster. The swarm also obscures the caster making it more difficult to get a clear shot at him/her -2 to strike (caster can see through the swarm with no ill effect). Costs: 9PPE, Duration: a number of minutes equal to the caster level

Blight Spores – conjures a cloud of spores that attach to anything passing through. Anything passing through the cloud will become covered in the spores which will quickly (1 melee turn after entering cloud) germinate and burst into some kind of mystic slimy fungal blight that covers the target and slows movement speed and combat abilities. Movement speed is reduced to 25%, affects creatures, environmental power armor, vehicles, robot vehicles, aircraft, and spacecraft (provided the spore cloud is large enough to completely cover the craft passing through it). The skin of unprotected creatures becomes irritated and is distracting, -2 to strike, parry, dodge, and -10% on all skill checks (-50% if the skill involves coordinated movement like acrobatics, or delicate precise movement like performing surgery). Duration is one minute per caster level. Cloud size is a diameter of 50ft per caster level, PPE Cost: 50, Duration: a number of minutes equal to the caster level

Corrosive Bolt – (inspiration Tears of Corrosion staff from enclave) – conjures and fires a glowing green bolt of necromantic energy that explodes into a corrosive slime that eats away at whatever it hits. Corrosive slime deals 1d6 damage (sdc or mdc) per level of experience of the caster and continues to deal half that damage the following melee, and one fourth the damage the melee following that. Opponent saves vs magic for half damage. Energy fields, beings of energy, and nonmaterial surfaces take only half damage from the initial hit and take no damage from the additional corrosive effects. Duration: 3 melees. Range: 200ft per level of caster. Level 4 or 5, PPE: 12.

I've spent a few days cleaning this up and adding some background descriptions. I would appreciate some feedback on this ship.

[eliakon]

Guada Marta Ironmage “Bloody Saber”

Appearance: A USA-10 Glitterboy with a shimmering red color. Close examination reveals that there is a thin film of flowing human blood covering the surface of the armor. The blood is very shiny, and slightly sticky to the touch. As a result of the blood the armor leaves bloody tracks…but the blood is a superior reflector to is chromium, there is no frequency of light that can adapt to the swirling blood.

Mundane TW: Enhancements. Aura of Death, Eyes of the Dead, Death Mask, Deathbolt (Fired from the boom gun)

Saber-6 actual
Yes, this is the actual suit worn by the commander of the retribution squad (Saber Company).
Reflecting the bitter same for his actions combined with the catastrophic release of energy as a direct result of those actions (the nuclear war and then the cataclysm) caused the suit was transformed into a powerful necromantic artifact aligned with the incident.
-Each round fired from the unit is radioactive in the extreme (treat as a u-round in addition to any other properties).
-A side effect is that each time the pylons are deployed all the plants in the area as per the spell ‘wither plants’
-As a greater necromantic relic the armor provides complete protection from any magical effect that would normally bypass protections (Deathbolt, Cosmic Ray, Ghost Blade et multiple cetera). They will damage the suit not the wearer

Unfortunately, the damage from Guada Marta was never fully repaired. The 1000 round drum has been destroyed, leaving the 400 round back up. Also it has less locational MDC: Head 250, Main Body 600, Left Leg: 300, Right Leg: 400, Both arms: 250. This damage can no-longer be replaced.

[Axelmania]

I was just thinking it was TW devices that cast necro spells which must be super-cheap to make since ivory is (for some reason... elephant overbreeding?) super-cheap compared to gems. There should be Magot-summoning ivory-inlaid Moccasins worn by every evil mage on earth.

[DD The Shmey]

Guada Marta Ironmage “Bloody Saber”

Appearance: A USA-10 Glitterboy with a shimmering red color. Close examination reveals that there is a thin film of flowing human blood covering the surface of the armor. The blood is very shiny, and slightly sticky to the touch. As a result of the blood the armor leaves bloody tracks…but the blood is a superior reflector to is chromium, there is no frequency of light that can adapt to the swirling blood.

Mundane TW: Enhancements. Aura of Death, Eyes of the Dead, Death Mask, Deathbolt (Fired from the boom gun)

Saber-6 actual...

I like the imagery that you invoke here, with the constant blood draining over the shining chrome, leaving bloody footprints behind.

I don't think that I would consider your bleeding glitter boy to be a product of Necro-Tech however. From your background you clearly are implying that the magic within the armor was imprinted as a result of it's involvement in the Guada incident, and not as the result of a twisted form of techno-wizardry. This doesn't mean its bad or anything, its just a necromantic artifact with a more exotic origin.

The Guada Marta incident was a bloody conflict where a team of 12 glitterboys killed 25,000 people in South America and kick started the Cold War in the decade leading up the the rifts cataclysm. I also can see how such a historically important incident, involving so many people dying at the hands of a dozen glitter boys would leave some kind of Psychic impression, but I find myself thinking that something doesn't fit right ... that this psychic impression would manifest itself as a necromantic enchantment on the suit of armor. I can't really place a finger on why this doesn't feel right, and I can't really think of many things that would be a better fit to that background story however ... maybe that the armor would be haunted by ghosts/poltergeists. I can see the link from a whole bunch of death and blood on the hands of the glitterboy, but necromancy doesn't just involve things dying, it also involves bringing the dead back to life and using them. Here's a thought, what about making the armor cursed with bloodlust, so that anyone who wears it will randomly be spurred into murderous rampage at some inopportune time.

The duration of time between when the Guada Marta incident occurred and the cataclysm is also a complicating matter. Without the ambient magical and psychic energy released by the rifts, I don't think that such enchantments could manifest, ... so was all that necromatic energy (bad karma) gained during the slaughter of all those people simply dormant for 10-15 years until the rifts came to wake them up? Eh, I guess that explanation could makes sense.

Sorry if I am rambling on a bit here, eliakon, but I am giving you my hot take on your idea.

[DD The Shmey]

I was just thinking it was TW devices that cast necro spells which must be super-cheap to make since ivory is (for some reason... elephant overbreeding?) super-cheap compared to gems. There should be Magot-summoning ivory-inlaid Moccasins worn by every evil mage on earth.

I guess Ivory could be considered a part from a dead body.

But you bring up an even more important point, using dead body parts as a PPE battery. Nowhere in the description of Necro-Tech devices did it talk about being able to store PPE in dead body parts like a TW would store in an emerald. Reading around in depth I have actually found some quotes that would imply the opposite. The description of the spell "Transfer Life Force" says that the animated dead bodies that the necromancer would posses cannot cast spells because dead bodies have no PPE. Another example of this lack of ppe energy from dead body parts is the fact that the union with the dead ability, attaching new body part to the necromancer, none of the added body parts give the necromancer more ppe, and all of them cost PPE to add to himself.

Now I have found an exception to this theme, a spell in a later rifter book "Siphon Component/Talisman" (see Rifter 62 pg43) that allows a necromancer to turn an organ or body part into a sort of organic Talisman for 250 PPE. It's got a table of different organs and how much PPE they can store. The best one in the table is a heart from a creature of magic, which can store 200 PPE. The Siphon Component/Talisman does not regenerate PPE or can't recharge from drawing ppe naturally from the environment (I've read in some cases that crystals and emeralds are able to do that), and can only be recharged by the necromancer who created it pumping the PPE into it from his own personal supply. Like the original Talisman spell, the battery can only be drained 3 times (refilled only twice), but unlike the talisman spell, once it is drained the third time it is turned to dust. Ultimately this limited reusability means it is nowhere near as efficient as using an emerald, a TW battery, a biowizard component, or a number of magic storage options. The creation cost is cheaper than the Talisman spell but is still costly at 250PPE + whatever PPE you want to store in it.

Comparing Necro-Tech devices with Biowizardry, I imagine it is much easier to obtain dead body parts, retool them into necro-tech devices, and use magic to make them do some special ability related to what that body part did when it was still alive, than it would be to capture live creatures and re-engineer every aspect of their biology from their form to their metabolic structures in such a way that the creature remains living, but is completely bent into the shape and function of a magical reusable tool. I would like to think that Biowizardry is a higher form of magic than Necro-Tech for this reason, and from a game balance perspective I would think that there would be some kind of drawback to Necro-Tech, or weakness in the magic. In my notes I have characterized this weakness as a stunted ability to generate PPE through this form of magic/technology. That is why the primary PPE generator on my Crimson Tears ship above requires persistence sacrifices to keep in operation, and the backup PPE generators are undersized and of purely Techno Wizard design.

I realize that this theme is all my personal take on the necro-tech magic, but I think it fits with the setting. I will be making posts in this thread later on of Necro-Tech weapons and devices with abilities similar to Splugorthian Biowizard weapons and devices, and I felt I had to come up with a reasonable explanation as to why these devices were not as good as Biowizardry. The lack of an ability to self recharge (requiring the necromancer to input his own PPE) was my answer.

[taalismn]

The Crimson Tears - Unique Necro-Tech Bone Corvette.

And this is why after the 'Event Horizon' incident I keep a few megaton-range nuclear anti-spacecraft missiles stashed in behind the emergency gear...

Very nasty little piece of work. A different, no less evil, sort of menace like the Dreadstars of the Three Galaxies.

[Axelmania]

I guess Ivory could be considered a part from a dead body.

But you bring up an even more important point, using dead body parts as a PPE battery. Nowhere in the description of Necro-Tech devices did it talk about being able to store PPE in dead body parts like a TW would store in an emerald. Reading around in depth I have actually found some quotes that would imply the opposite. The description of the spell "Transfer Life Force" says that the animated dead bodies that the necromancer would posses cannot cast spells because dead bodies have no PPE.

I'm just talking about the gem requirements in RUE for certain spells, you need at least 0.5 carats basic and additional carats can reduce the PPE cost to use the item. Pretty sure it was ivory for all necro-spells which was cheaper than everything, unless I'm remembering wrong.

Can't recall what the rules were for TW devices storing PPE charges of the spell and if that had different gem requirements.

[DD The Shmey]

Alright guys, it's time for me to post my greater necro-tech magic weapons. These weapons are intended to have a power level on par with Splugorthian biowizard weapons like the Staff of Eylor.

Storm Rider Greater NecroTech Skeletal Power Staff:

This powerful necrotech weapon is made from the skeletal remains of a Storm Rider Ley Line Beast (see WB7 Underseas pg 31). The skull is mounted atop a 6 ft long copper or brass staff with the skeletal spine and tail of the creature wrapped around the staff in a helix.
Normally the staff is dormant and asleep however with the input of 10ppe (duration 10 minutes) the skeletal portions of the staff become animate through necromantic magic. In this active state the staff the staff can act independently of its wielder (controlled through telepathic link). Staff has two physical attacks per melee, or one by spell, these actions are in addition to its wielders action and done at his or her whim. The staff shares initiative with its wielder.
Attacks: In melee combat, the staff can lash out bite opponents dealing 6d6 MD, or swipe with its tail dealing 4d6 MD, all physical attacks with staff are at +3 to strike
Magic: The staff acts as a PPE battery containing 300 PPE, however it does not regenerate PPE on its own, except when near a leyline. The staff if instructed to do so, is capable of casting spells independently from the wielders actions. Spells include all spells level 1-3, repel animals, ley line transmission, energy disruption, call lighting, wind rush, life drain, dispel magic barrier, armor of Neptune, black water, calm waters, grow tentacles, impervious to cold, impervious to electricity, sound sponge, Strength of the whale, water seal, and water wall. All spells are as if cast by 6th level. Double range/duration/effect when near a ley line or magic triangle.
The staff has 45 MDC, and weighs 30 lbs.
Cost: Generally not available, would sell for 10-40 million.

NT Spinning Blades Of Bone

This magical weapon consists of a 2 foot long brass staff with a foot long razor sharp bone blade on either end. A pair of bone inlaid handle grips rest on either side of a brass rotor mounted on the center on the staff with a third handle perpendicular to the shaft. Both of the blades are made of magically strengthened and molded bone. The core of the brass shaft is also made of strengthen bone with intermitted gemstones of onyx, diamond, and chambersite.
The blades can be used in normal melee to parry or attack, inflicting 2d6 MD per strike. Alternatively the wielder can activate the rotor and begin spinning the blade (takes one melee action to activate). Striking with the spinning blade inflicts 3d6 MD, and is difficult to parry (-2 on all such attempts). Finally while the rotor is activated the wielder can invoke the spell Spinning Blades (20ppe, see WB16 Fed of Magic pg 142 for full description) at 6th level which causes the spinning blade to fly off of the rotor and float around, parrying physical (+6) and energy/projectile (+2) attacks, and striking opponents for 12d6 MD (Range: 360ft). Duration is 6 melees, or until the spinning blade strikes the opponent.
The weapon has 115 MDC, and weighs 25 lbs. Requires a PS of 20 to wield.
Cost: Generally not available, would sell for 3-8 million. These magic blades are a signature feature and standard issue for the Death Knight Necro-Borg Assassins

Death Bolt Necro-Rifle

This large sniper rifle has an unmistakably skeletal appearance and is capable of firing Death Bolts which ignore the protection of armor.
Weight: 25lbs, requires a PS of 20 or higher (or suffer -3 penalty)
Damage: 14d6 direct to HP (ignore armor) (as per Death Bolt spell)

Save @-2 for 1/3 dam if fail save -4 ini,-1 parry/dodge, &-25% Spd for 1min, cannot pass through vehicles.
Death Bolts heal and/or fortifies the health of undead
Magic Scope: +3 on aimed strike.
Rate of fire: one at a time
Range: 4800 ft (same underwater or in space)
Payload: 4 shots, requires input of 30ppe to recharge
Cost: not available, used by secret assassins, would sell for at least 2-10 million. These rifles are a signature feature and standard issue for the Death Knight Necro-Borg Assassins

Amulet of Engraved Hydra Bone:

Made of a fragment of bone from an adult Hydra. The amulet is used in conjunction with the spell Strength of the Dead (60PPE) cast by a necromancer to provide +3000 MDC to the necromancer for caster level*2 minutes. (Note: other species of dragon work too, but hydra is more common due to their regenerative abilities, and some evil practices by necromancers)

Authors Note: Due to the potential power of this item, I am considering making the item only work 3 times before the bones shrivel up and turn to dust. For a discussion on the matter from the palladium forums, see palladiumbooks.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=118360

Demonic NecroTech Devices
These are a group of Necro-Tech weapons and devices that are created using components from Demons. I haven't filled in as many details on these items, but have given enough to give them the intended flavor and abilities.

NT Staff of Nightmare (Nightmare Demon):

Composed of the skull of a Nightmare demon with various electrodes and wires sticking out of it, at the end of a magic staff. Gives the wielder the demon’s ability ‘Commune with Other in Dreams and Induce Nightmares’ (cost 10PPE or 10isp). Also provides the wielder with the Psionic abilities Bio-Manipulation (cost 5ppe or 10isp)

NT Ghoul Bone Shovel (Ghoul Demon):

A Bone Shovel with the hand and claws of a ghoul demon at the tip. Gives the wielder ‘Underground Tunneling’ ability (see DB10 Hades pg93) allowing wielder to burrow through dirt at a rate of 20mph (spd15) (cost 5ppe per melee)

NT Magot Eye Stalk Wand of Petrifaction (Maggot Demon):

targets save vs magic or be turned to stone, PPE 40 to activate, range 1200ft

NT Psi-Hawk Goggles (Psi-Hawk):

Nightvision 2000ft, Infrared & Thermal vision, gives +1 initiative, +1 to strike/parry/dodge. Goggles emit flames when worn by Psychics and give the wearer Pyrokinesis powers at double isp cost

[Nekira Sudacne]

Some pretty nifty sounding devices there! But as I don't have the Rifter in question handy I have to ask: Are there any mechanical differences between necro-tech and regular TW, or is it just a reskin of TW?

[DD The Shmey]

Some pretty nifty sounding devices there! But as I don't have the Rifter in question handy I have to ask: Are there any mechanical differences between necro-tech and regular TW, or is it just a reskin of TW?

Thanks for he complement

Mechanically speaking it really is a reskinned TW device.
The Rifter 13 introduces the Necro-Tech OCC as a variation of a Technowizard that focuses on Necromancer spells. It describes the origin of the field developed from collaborations between necromancers and techno-wizards. The section says that it is fundamentally the same as Techno-Wizardry only instead of using crystals and such for the foci of the power, it uses tissue from dead organisms. It gives some examples of traditional TW devices that could be manufactured using Necro-Tech means including a Wing-Board using the skeletal remains of Gargoyle wings, or a communications band using a severed human tongue as a component. The tissue component should also have some connection with the feat being done by the device.
One thing that the book described was a major advantage of NT bionics was that due to their magical nature, NT bionics do not impair spell casters or psychic abilities, only requiring a small permanent expenditure of PPE to make the limb come to life (10ppe for arm or leg)

One of the things I've had fun with is looking through all of the special natural abilities of various common monsters in different books to try to inspire some devices. I figured that rather than duplicating the ability of a spell from the book, with Necro-Tech I could also duplicate the monsters special ability, and try to figure out how much PPE to spend based on finding a spell with similar effects. This was the case for the NT Ghoul Bone Shovel, that allows the wielder to borrow quickly through the ground just like a grave ghoul can.

...
Hmm looking back the Storm Rider Greater NecroTech Skeletal Power Staff does really have a lot of spells available. I just copied all the spells available to the creature. Maybe I should cut the number of spells that the staff can cast by half, what do you guys think?

You know those Storm Rider (aka Ley Line Beast) creatures really are interesting. They have a ton of PPE, and according to rifts underseas it seems like they should be very common. The description says that they are closely linked with the magic ley lines, and 1d4 of them typically pop up every time there is a ley line storm at sea. It says that various dimensional travelers are familiar with them, and it seems that they pop up in ley line storms in other dimensions also which could make them almost a universal creature wherever there are magic ley lines. That's one of the reasons I chose to use them as I figured they were a very common creature relative to their magic power. It wouldn't surprise me if the Slpugorth would be interested in using them for Bio-Wizardry due to this reason.

You know I should probably look into Poltergeist too. Axlemania had pointed out that they should be very common on rifts earth and throughout the megaverse due to their relationship with dimensional portals. Polterguist seem to have kind of a similar connection to ley line phenomenon as the Storm Riders do, maybe they are even related to one another. My problem with making them into an NT device is that they don't seem to have any material tissue that a necro-tech could incorporate into their devices. Hmmm do they leave any ectoplasm or other residue behind when they die? Maybe we could capture them like a ghost buster? ... but now this is more related to Techno-Shifter's (another TW variant presented in Rifter 13).

[Orin J.]

all this does is make me wonder if a full conversion necroborg would a feasable concept and why would anyone do that.

[Nekira Sudacne]

Some pretty nifty sounding devices there! But as I don't have the Rifter in question handy I have to ask: Are there any mechanical differences between necro-tech and regular TW, or is it just a reskin of TW?

Thanks for he complement

Mechanically speaking it really is a reskinned TW device.
The Rifter 13 introduces the Necro-Tech OCC as a variation of a Technowizard that focuses on Necromancer spells. It describes the origin of the field developed from collaborations between necromancers and techno-wizards. The section says that it is fundamentally the same as Techno-Wizardry only instead of using crystals and such for the foci of the power, it uses tissue from dead organisms. It gives some examples of traditional TW devices that could be manufactured using Necro-Tech means including a Wing-Board using the skeletal remains of Gargoyle wings, or a communications band using a severed human tongue as a component. The tissue component should also have some connection with the feat being done by the device.
One thing that the book described was a major advantage of NT bionics was that due to their magical nature, NT bionics do not impair spell casters or psychic abilities, only requiring a small permanent expenditure of PPE to make the limb come to life (10ppe for arm or leg)

One of the things I've had fun with is looking through all of the special natural abilities of various common monsters in different books to try to inspire some devices. I figured that rather than duplicating the ability of a spell from the book, with Necro-Tech I could also duplicate the monsters special ability, and try to figure out how much PPE to spend based on finding a spell with similar effects. This was the case for the NT Ghoul Bone Shovel, that allows the wielder to borrow quickly through the ground just like a grave ghoul can.

...
Hmm looking back the Storm Rider Greater NecroTech Skeletal Power Staff does really have a lot of spells available. I just copied all the spells available to the creature. Maybe I should cut the number of spells that the staff can cast by half, what do you guys think?

You know those Storm Rider (aka Ley Line Beast) creatures really are interesting. They have a ton of PPE, and according to rifts underseas it seems like they should be very common. The description says that they are closely linked with the magic ley lines, and 1d4 of them typically pop up every time there is a ley line storm at sea. It says that various dimensional travelers are familiar with them, and it seems that they pop up in ley line storms in other dimensions also which could make them almost a universal creature wherever there are magic ley lines. That's one of the reasons I chose to use them as I figured they were a very common creature relative to their magic power. It wouldn't surprise me if the Slpugorth would be interested in using them for Bio-Wizardry due to this reason.

You know I should probably look into Poltergeist too. Axlemania had pointed out that they should be very common on rifts earth and throughout the megaverse due to their relationship with dimensional portals. Polterguist seem to have kind of a similar connection to ley line phenomenon as the Storm Riders do, maybe they are even related to one another. My problem with making them into an NT device is that they don't seem to have any material tissue that a necro-tech could incorporate into their devices. Hmmm do they leave any ectoplasm or other residue behind when they die? Maybe we could capture them like a ghost buster? ... but now this is more related to Techno-Shifter's (another TW variant presented in Rifter 13).

I was more questioning the Bio-manipulation feature. That's objectively not Magic or Necromancy and really has no place.

[taalismn]

all this does is make me wonder if a full conversion necroborg would a feasable concept and why would anyone do that.

Because some depraved and likely heavily drunk necromage thinks it would be a really COOL idea? That's usually good enough of a reason.

"They said it couldn't be done!!! But I showed them!"
"Actually, Bob, they said it SHOULDN'T be done, because it would break the wallet of whoever tried it. How deep in the hole did this little project set you?"
"Ah, uhm….loan me a fiver until my next payday at the meat shop?"

[Nekira Sudacne]

all this does is make me wonder if a full conversion necroborg would a feasable concept and why would anyone do that.

Because some depraved and likely heavily drunk necromage thinks it would be a really COOL idea? That's usually good enough of a reason.

"They said it couldn't be done!!! But I showed them!"
"Actually, Bob, they said it SHOULDN'T be done, because it would break the wallet of whoever tried it. How deep in the hole did this little project set you?"
"Ah, uhm….loan me a fiver until my next payday at the meat shop?"

Rule of cool only justifies so much: Simply letting TW do probablly the most powerful psionic in the game for no reason is probablly too unbalanced. TW doesn't do psionics for pretty good reasons we should stick with.

[DD The Shmey]

Rule of cool only justifies so much: Simply letting TW do probablly the most powerful psionic in the game for no reason is probablly too unbalanced. TW doesn't do psionics for pretty good reasons we should stick with.

Are you sure about that Nekira?

Techno-wizardry does psionic abilities all the time, and has since the very beginning.
TK-Machinegun - RMB page 92
Various TK glider engines - RMB pg95
Psionic Mind Sheild (for Psionic Characters only) - RMB pg96

There are a whole bunch of TW items in Psyscape pages 154-156
TW Psi-Blocker Helmet, TW Psi-Bloodhound Psi-Tracker
TW TK Pistol, TW TK Assault Rife, TW Flamethrower
Psychic Camera, TW Thought Projector

Some more from other books
TW-45 & TW-38 TK Revolvers - New West pg214
TW Force Cannon - FedofMag pg 115 (a assume a TK device)
TW Spin-Disk Shooters - Coalition Wars Ch1 pg 55(i assume a TK device)
TW Telekinetic TK Rifle, TK60 Light Machine Gun, and TK80 Heavy Machine Gun - Coalition Wars Ch1 pg 62-3

Psionic abilities commonly appeared in Bio-Wizard devices
Psi-Interrogator - Atlantis pg120
Psionic Rod or Septer - Atlantis pg120
Bio-Wizard TK Rifle - Splynn pg141
Ectoplasmic Net Launcher - Splynn pg141
Paralysis Rifle (uses Bio-Manipulation) - Splynn 142
Pain Inducer (uses Bio-Manipulation) - Splynn 142
Domination Staff & Kinetic Staff - Splynn 143

In fact if you look in Megaverse in Flames, you will find that some of my ideas (including the nightmare biomanipulation one you pointed out) were already published as Deevil Magic Artifacts.
Maggot Eye Amulet - Megaverse in Flames pg138
Mare Staves (includes Bio-Manipulation and a bunch of other psi-abilities) - Megaverse in Flames pg138

before I go on, Um... ... I also need to say that ... I didn't copy the Deevil Magic Artifacts for my Demonic NecroTech Device, I had those idea's written down before I had this book.

Now I must admit that the Deevil Magic is not the same as Necro-Tech Magic, and Deevil Magic should probably be more powerful considering its rarity, exotic origin, and the use of Soulmancy in its construction. Soulmancy was described as a more powerful/primal form of magic similar to necromancy.

Something similar could be said of biowizard artifacts, biowizardry being different than technowizardry and the fact that it includes psychic powers shouldn't necessarily denote that TW should include Psychic powers, however it does provide a counter point to your reasoning of allowing psionic powers in TW devices being unbalanced and too powerful.

[DD The Shmey]

hmmm... you know Biomanipulation really is a powerful ability though, you had a good point about that. The Paralysis sub-ability alone will completely disable a target on the field for a long duration.

Maybe I should limit the power of the Bio-Manipulation available to my NT Staff of Nightmare to reflect better that it is a less powerful version of the staff than the Deevil Magic version. Maybe I should take that out Paralysis as an option?

Actually which Bio-Manipulation abilities do you think would best reflect the flavor of the Nightmare Deevil?

Maybe Pain? Pain has a kind of Necro-feel to it.

[Nekira Sudacne]

Rule of cool only justifies so much: Simply letting TW do probablly the most powerful psionic in the game for no reason is probablly too unbalanced. TW doesn't do psionics for pretty good reasons we should stick with.

Are you sure about that Nekira?

Techno-wizardry does psionic abilities all the time, and has since the very beginning.
TK-Machinegun - RMB page 92
Various TK glider engines - RMB pg95
Psionic Mind Sheild (for Psionic Characters only) - RMB pg96

There are a whole bunch of TW items in Psyscape pages 154-156
TW Psi-Blocker Helmet, TW Psi-Bloodhound Psi-Tracker
TW TK Pistol, TW TK Assault Rife, TW Flamethrower
Psychic Camera, TW Thought Projector

Some more from other books
TW-45 & TW-38 TK Revolvers - New West pg214
TW Force Cannon - FedofMag pg 115 (a assume a TK device)
TW Spin-Disk Shooters - Coalition Wars Ch1 pg 55(i assume a TK device)
TW Telekinetic TK Rifle, TK60 Light Machine Gun, and TK80 Heavy Machine Gun - Coalition Wars Ch1 pg 62-3

Except almost all of those are based on TK, and...Telekesis is a Third level spell. So it's not dipping into psionics at all, it's using an existing spell. Likewise for the Psi-bloodhound tracker there are existing sense supernatural magic to work off of.

The TW thought Projector blurs the line, but is more an advanced application of Illusion than anything, which can already make things the mage is thinking of appear. Spin disk shooters? Spinning blades is a spell. the only real counterpoint in there is the Psi-Blocker Helmet, but as you note, only works for psychcis, which sort of adds to my point: It only does something if psychic power is already there.

Psionic abilities commonly appeared in Bio-Wizard devices
Psi-Interrogator - Atlantis pg120
Psionic Rod or Septer - Atlantis pg120
Bio-Wizard TK Rifle - Splynn pg141
Ectoplasmic Net Launcher - Splynn pg141
Paralysis Rifle (uses Bio-Manipulation) - Splynn 142
Pain Inducer (uses Bio-Manipulation) - Splynn 142
Domination Staff & Kinetic Staff - Splynn 143

All of which are bio-wizardy and not techno-wizardy so not relevent to the discussion.

In fact if you look in Megaverse in Flames, you will find that some of my ideas (including the nightmare biomanipulation one you pointed out) were already published as Deevil Magic Artifacts.
Maggot Eye Amulet - Megaverse in Flames pg138
Mare Staves (includes Bio-Manipulation and a bunch of other psi-abilities) - Megaverse in Flames pg138

All of these are Deevil Artifacts that, like bio-wizardy, are drawing out power from a creature who already had that power or similar enough to work with. None of which are techno-wizard devices.

before I go on, Um... ... I also need to say that ... I didn't copy the Deevil Magic Artifacts for my Demonic NecroTech Device, I had those idea's written down before I had this book.

Now I must admit that the Deevil Magic is not the same as Necro-Tech Magic, and Deevil Magic should probably be more powerful considering its rarity, exotic origin, and the use of Soulmancy in its construction. Soulmancy was described as a more powerful/primal form of magic similar to necromancy.

Something similar could be said of biowizard artifacts, biowizardry being different than technowizardry and the fact that it includes psychic powers shouldn't necessarily denote that TW should include Psychic powers, however it does provide a counter point to your reasoning of allowing psionic powers in TW devices being unbalanced and too powerful.

Biowizardy was also much more rare and powerful than techno-wizardy, being for much of the game until WB Dyval the exclusive provience of the Splurgorth and some rare others and never available as a Player class, so they're also not good analogs.

Also, I should note my argument isn't on the effect themselves, but rather the method. That's why I started by asking if Necro Tech was reskinned Techno-wizardy. You said yes, and that means it shouldn't be reaching into things that Techno-wizardy cannot also do, as I've shown, with a single very specific exception, none of the other TW devices actually use psionic power, but rather use spells that have similar effects to psionic power: Telekesis being a spell answers 95% of your counterexamples, the rest tie to other existing spells. No spell has near the versitility of Bio-manipulation.

And as you've said, Soulmancy can do things Necromancy can't do, and extracting a single useful ability from a dead corpse is a Soulmancy, not Necromancy, spell. Also kind of the thing the Soulcrafters in Vampire Sourcebook are known to make items for, which is a varient of Necromancy entirely revolving around extracting useful abilities from the souls of the sacrafised and putting the into objects, which was likely how the Devyal artifacts were made as it also says that the class is usually taught by a demon or dyval lord.

So i'm not saying the items are not possible, but that they are already pretty firmly in the realm of the Soulcrafter, who can explictly yoink out psionics or innate abilities and turn the into items. Necro Tech should therefore be limited to still mostly making Necro-skinned TW, although your bad guys having a Soulcrafter on staff for some items is probablly a good idea.

Also, definatly check out the Soulcrafter, it sounds great for your campaign.

Basically my problem isn't the item, it's cool, it's that it makes Necro Tech step on Soulcrafters turf.

[DD The Shmey]

Basically my problem isn't the item, it's cool, it's that it makes Necro Tech step on Soulcrafters turf.

There is already a Soulmancy version of this item, so after discovering it's existence, I was hoping to make a less power version using pure Necro-Tech.

Are you sure about that Nekira?

Techno-wizardry does psionic abilities all the time, and has since the very beginning.
...

Except almost all of those are based on TK, and...Telekesis is a Third level spell. So it's not dipping into psionics at all, it's using an existing spell. Likewise for the Psi-bloodhound tracker there are existing sense supernatural magic to work off of.

The TW thought Projector blurs the line, but is more an advanced application of Illusion than anything, which can already make things the mage is thinking of appear. Spin disk shooters? Spinning blades is a spell. the only real counterpoint in there is the Psi-Blocker Helmet, but as you note, only works for psychcis, which sort of adds to my point: It only does something if psychic power is already there.

I realized after I completed my list that might have to concede a bunch of these due to the existence of the telekinesis spell, but I figured that these items would be proof enough.

Psionic Mind Shield (for Psionic Characters only) - RMB pg96
TW Psi-Blocker Helmet - Psyscape pages 154-156
TW Psi-Bloodhound Psi-Tracker - Psyscape pages 154-156 ==> see magic detection spells
Psychic Camera - Psyscape pages 154-156 ==> see magic detection spells
TW Thought Projector - Psyscape pages 154-156

What I didn't consider was your point about the Psionic Mind Shield being a special case item, and relying on the psychic power already being there. I went back and read the description in Psyscape and found that a lot of the TW Psi-Tech items come with a disclaimer stating that

Psionic technology is usually hard to come by, often untested, and dangerous, with side effects that cause pain and insanity. Some Psi-Tek items are unreliable, some have major design flaws, terrible side effects or can be overcome by powerful psychics...

Maybe you have a point. There does seem to be something different about these psychic devices that makes them less attainable to the Techno-Wizard.

I think I have demonstrated however that Psi-Tek options for TW devices are not completely off the table, but ... maybe I should include some kind of drawback to Psionic abilities derived from TW and NT devices.

Also the rule of cool should account for something, I mean the fact that I've got the skull and brain tissue from a super psychic demon, that should enable me to do something mind related in a NT weapon.

How about this

NT Staff of Nightmare (Nightmare Demon):

Composed of the skull and brain tissue of a Nightmare demon with various electrodes and wires sticking out of it, at the end of a magic staff. Gives the wielder the ability 'Induce Nightmares' on anyone sleeping within vision. With practice and over multiple nights the wielder can learn to peer into the victims dreams and learn their greatest fears.
If wielded by a psychic, they gain the ability to inflict pain and unease in any target within 80 feet (as per Bio-Manipulation Pain ability, cost 10 isp). Victim will be at -6 to strike, parry, and dodge, and take one point of damage of their hit points per each minute affected. Lasts 2d4 minutes.

Note that I restricted the bio manipulation to those that already had psychic powers, and I restricted it to only be the Pain version of the ability, I reduced the range and duration by half. I also reduced the effect of the 'Commune with Other in Dreams and Induce Nightmares' ability (originally found in Hades pg 57), requiring it to take multiple nights before it had similar affects.

Otherwise if this doesn't work, is there any spell magic that you can think of that would work as a proxy for Bio-Manipulation and/or the nightmare inducing abilities, so that I retain the flavor of the original ability?

...
...
...

...although your bad guys having a Soulcrafter on staff for some items is probablly a good idea.

Also, definatly check out the Soulcrafter, it sounds great for your campaign.

Yep I am familiar with both of the Soulcrafter in Vampire Sourcebook and Soulmancy in the various Demon books. Thanks for the suggestion, and for helping me to better differentiate Necro-Tech with Soulmancy.

I actually made a reference to a Soulcrafter NPC called The Dark Revenant in my write-up for the "The Crimson Tears - Unique Necro-Tech Bone Corvette"

1. The Soul Engine (Ruin Artifact):
The Soul Engine might be considered by some to be a greater Ruin artifact, however it is much more closely related to Soulcraft magic (see Vampire sourcebook pg122). The core of the Soul Engine was actually the result of a failed attempt in the production of a Soul Forge by the being know as The Dark Revenant. This failed soul forge was able to break down victims souls into a form of magic energy, but was unable to reconstitute that energy to forge dark magical items. Instead an elaborate system of NecroTech devices encapsulates the soul forge to refine the raw energy into mystic PPE available to power the ships TW and NT magic weapons and systems.
PPE contents: 5000, regenerate 2500/day. P.P.E. can be used to power Magic Systems, or can be drawn upon by the Magic User linked with it. The system is powered by burning the souls of beings thrown into the engine. Each mortal sacrificed in this way will power the engine for 1d4 weeks.

[DD The Shmey]

all this does is make me wonder if a full conversion necroborg would a feasable concept and why would anyone do that.

Because some depraved and likely heavily drunk necromage thinks it would be a really COOL idea? That's usually good enough of a reason.

I think that these might be a good start for you guys:
Muhahahaha

Necro-Tech Bionic Components

NT Bat Ear Implants:

PPE: 2 per 10 minute activation Abilities: Echo location 90ft (no penalty from blindness, can see around corners, and see invisible/hidden beings as long as tangible), and super hearing (see WB2 Atlantis pg 111 amplified hearing), +2 initiative, +1 parry/dodge
Also can come as a earmuffs for non-borgs

NT Crab Warrior Feelers antennae:

PPE: 6 per 10 minute activation, Motion Detection 50ft, additional super hearing and feeler abilities (see SB4 coalition navy pg 100), and gives the user the psi power presence sense (normal cost of activation, does not give the user additional isp). +3 initiative, +1 to strike targets within 50ft, +2 parry/dodge.
Also can come as a headwear attachment for non-borgs

Necro-Tech Xiticix or Harpy Wings:

Fly 45mph, +2 dodge while fly
requires 15PPE for 36 minutes of flight, Cost: 80k
Also can come as a jetpack for non-borgs

NT Changling Skin Face Transplant:

Enables spell Mask of Deceit spell 15PPE for lasts 60 minutes, 95% skill level. Save at -8 to recognize fake. This facial skin graft from a changling allows the NT Borg to mimic the facial appearance of anyone, just as the changelings natural abilities. Limited to the face only.

NT Enhanced Eyes: superior vision, +2 to perception, +1 to strike

NT Night Eyes: gives night vision 100ft and otherwise good vision

NT Enhanced Ears: see amplified hearing Bionics Rifts Main pg231

NT Enhanced Lungs: run for two times longer without rest, PE+1, PP+1

NE Enhanced Heart: +25% on coma saves, PE+2 and is supernatural

NT Enhanced Liver or Kidneys: poison resistance +4 to saves

NT Hound Nose: see dog boys superior sense of smell Rifts Main pg110

NT Fish Gills: can breathe under water

NT Retractable Claws: adds 1d6md to punch attacks

I still need to do some more cleaning up of my different kinds of NT Borgs before they are ready to post. Even then I'm not planning on developing a full OCC yet.

I was toying around with using the Seduced Techno-Wizard OCC, (see Rifter2 pg84), but the process of creating them turns them into a form of undead, and that comes with some powerful abilities that I didn't have in mind for this setting. These guys are true Necro-Tech full conversion borgs.

[Nekira Sudacne]

Basically my problem isn't the item, it's cool, it's that it makes Necro Tech step on Soulcrafters turf.

There is already a Soulmancy version of this item, so after discovering it's existence, I was hoping to make a less power version using pure Necro-Tech.

Are you sure about that Nekira?

Techno-wizardry does psionic abilities all the time, and has since the very beginning.
...

Except almost all of those are based on TK, and...Telekesis is a Third level spell. So it's not dipping into psionics at all, it's using an existing spell. Likewise for the Psi-bloodhound tracker there are existing sense supernatural magic to work off of.

The TW thought Projector blurs the line, but is more an advanced application of Illusion than anything, which can already make things the mage is thinking of appear. Spin disk shooters? Spinning blades is a spell. the only real counterpoint in there is the Psi-Blocker Helmet, but as you note, only works for psychcis, which sort of adds to my point: It only does something if psychic power is already there.

I realized after I completed my list that might have to concede a bunch of these due to the existence of the telekinesis spell, but I figured that these items would be proof enough.

Psionic Mind Shield (for Psionic Characters only) - RMB pg96
TW Psi-Blocker Helmet - Psyscape pages 154-156
TW Psi-Bloodhound Psi-Tracker - Psyscape pages 154-156 ==> see magic detection spells
Psychic Camera - Psyscape pages 154-156 ==> see magic detection spells
TW Thought Projector - Psyscape pages 154-156

What I didn't consider was your point about the Psionic Mind Shield being a special case item, and relying on the psychic power already being there. I went back and read the description in Psyscape and found that a lot of the TW Psi-Tech items come with a disclaimer stating that

Psionic technology is usually hard to come by, often untested, and dangerous, with side effects that cause pain and insanity. Some Psi-Tek items are unreliable, some have major design flaws, terrible side effects or can be overcome by powerful psychics...

Maybe you have a point. There does seem to be something different about these psychic devices that makes them less attainable to the Techno-Wizard.

I think I have demonstrated however that Psi-Tek options for TW devices are not completely off the table, but ... maybe I should include some kind of drawback to Psionic abilities derived from TW and NT devices.

Also the rule of cool should account for something, I mean the fact that I've got the skull and brain tissue from a super psychic demon, that should enable me to do something mind related in a NT weapon.

How about this

NT Staff of Nightmare (Nightmare Demon):

Composed of the skull and brain tissue of a Nightmare demon with various electrodes and wires sticking out of it, at the end of a magic staff. Gives the wielder the ability 'Induce Nightmares' on anyone sleeping within vision. With practice and over multiple nights the wielder can learn to peer into the victims dreams and learn their greatest fears.
If wielded by a psychic, they gain the ability to inflict pain and unease in any target within 80 feet (as per Bio-Manipulation Pain ability, cost 10 isp). Victim will be at -6 to strike, parry, and dodge, and take one point of damage of their hit points per each minute affected. Lasts 2d4 minutes.

Note that I restricted the bio manipulation to those that already had psychic powers, and I restricted it to only be the Pain version of the ability, I reduced the range and duration by half. I also reduced the effect of the 'Commune with Other in Dreams and Induce Nightmares' ability (originally found in Hades pg 57), requiring it to take multiple nights before it had similar affects.

Otherwise if this doesn't work, is there any spell magic that you can think of that would work as a proxy for Bio-Manipulation and/or the nightmare inducing abilities, so that I retain the flavor of the original ability?

...
...
...

...although your bad guys having a Soulcrafter on staff for some items is probablly a good idea.

Also, definatly check out the Soulcrafter, it sounds great for your campaign.

Yep I am familiar with both of the Soulcrafter in Vampire Sourcebook and Soulmancy in the various Demon books. Thanks for the suggestion, and for helping me to better differentiate Necro-Tech with Soulmancy.

I actually made a reference to a Soulcrafter NPC called The Dark Revenant in my write-up for the "The Crimson Tears - Unique Necro-Tech Bone Corvette"

1. The Soul Engine (Ruin Artifact):
The Soul Engine might be considered by some to be a greater Ruin artifact, however it is much more closely related to Soulcraft magic (see Vampire sourcebook pg122). The core of the Soul Engine was actually the result of a failed attempt in the production of a Soul Forge by the being know as The Dark Revenant. This failed soul forge was able to break down victims souls into a form of magic energy, but was unable to reconstitute that energy to forge dark magical items. Instead an elaborate system of NecroTech devices encapsulates the soul forge to refine the raw energy into mystic PPE available to power the ships TW and NT magic weapons and systems.
PPE contents: 5000, regenerate 2500/day. P.P.E. can be used to power Magic Systems, or can be drawn upon by the Magic User linked with it. The system is powered by burning the souls of beings thrown into the engine. Each mortal sacrificed in this way will power the engine for 1d4 weeks.

That looks pretty cool to me

I agree rule of cool should count for something, and the Staff is indeed cool. With the given limitations I think it works a lot better

[SolCannibal]

might i suggest you start with defining what exactly a necro-tech magic device is?

Sure thing, Necro-Tech devices were originally introduced in Rifter #13. They are a form of Technowizardry that employs necromancy and dead body parts similar to how Biowizardry employs living organisms.

The article described that Necro-Tech is able to manufacture many kinds of techno-wizard creations through the use of appropriate dead body parts (like Bat skulls) substituted for the standard physical requirement (like quartz crystals) found in the traditional TW device.

Very interesting premise. I have toyed with the idea of "green-tech magic devices" made by druids experimenting with herbs in place of gemstones and such. Even described a NPC, Gourmet - a not quite evil blood druid - that actually does that, but have yet to get into the nitty-gritty of how it actually works, pros & cons. Main thing that comes to mind is that extracted herbs will dry and deteriorate with time unlike gemstones, making them something closer to ammunition or spare parts in the need of periodic replacement with new ones, but so far it's mostly a TW with alternative aesthetics/background color kind of thing.

Not directly relevant, but the "Blood Druid TW" is part of a faction that got in trouble with their leadership and more importantly, the Gargoyle Empire, about a decade, decade & half before the start of the game (parallel to the Tolkeen War). Something involving the Lords of Lyonesse, a magic-based pirate republic, forging an alliance that took over a large chunk of France from the Gargoyles (while doing some major construction/geomancy works along the way) until something weird happened and their leader disappeared while fighting some sort of alien intelligence.

Truth of the matter is that the blood druid leadership was very much in cahoots with the Lyonesse pirates - but where quite quick to change sides back to the Gargoyles when the situation started to change. And used the "Techno Herbalists" (who were getting too close to the warlord's experiments and agenda for the old leadership's tastes anyway) as scapegoats for pinning the blame for their own part, resulting in what survivors like Gourmet remain turning into exiles and wandering magicians for hire across Europe and beyond.

Gourmet in particular is a stubborn romantic diehard that while somewhat effective at disguising he's a blood druid, refuses to renege his work and past, even though it makes him a hunted man. He still makes and experiments with "green TW", has a "Lyonesse Triskelion" flag in his greenhouse-wagon. And still in the lookout for Ironcoat (Lyonesse's special troops, that spawned some copycats/descendant groups after the fall to the Gargoyles) bands or clues of master Cyprian (the warlord).

[DD The Shmey]

Here is another necromancer cult, this one built around a temple and place of magic. Please give me some feedback. If you guys were going to add this cult into your games, what kinds of things would you change to adapt it to your world?

Cult of the Dark Temple

The cultist of the Dark Temple are known among themselves as Dark Scribes. There are not very many of them compared with the more popular cults, however the Dark Scribes have a great deal of influence over other Necromancer Cults due to the potential services they can provide. Necromancers from across the world make pilgrimages to the mecca of this cult, a place known as the Dark Temple of Souls. After offering a blood sacrifice to the Dark Temple of Souls, a ritual which results in the victims soul being devoured by the temple itself, the Necromancer is allowed into the deeper chambers of the Dark Temple where the Library of the Dead is located. In the Library of the Dead the Necromancers can study ancient dark magics of their craft.

The temple and the cult are overseen by the Keeper of the Dark Temple (aka The Black Librarian), an ancient master in the dark arts of necromancy whose knowledge on the subject is second to none. If any Necromancer pilgrim abuses his privileges within the Library, or becomes too rowdy, or somehow insults the Temple or the Black Librarian, they will soon find themselves victims of a blood sacrifice, with their own knowledge being absorbed and added to the many dark books in the library.

The Dark Scribes often use Bone magic to create magical items and charms. Any listed in Mysitic Russia may be available as well as

Staff of the Dead:

Withered Rod of bone eaten by worms and bugs. inflicts 4d6 MD on strike, and can cast 6 spells per day including: Agony, life drain, sickness, wisps of confusion, turn dead, and animate and control dead.

Dark Temple of Souls (Library of the Dead)

Image used for Inspiration: deviantart.com/noah-kh/art/Grave-of-Souls-59505425

The entrance to the temple itself is located on the side of a cliff along a small seasonal tributary river to the Nile somewhere within the Bayuda volcanic field in central Sudan. Faint ley lines seem to converge somewhere underground at the temple, and the region around the temple is an area of powerful magic.
A carefully guarded secret known only to the members of the cult is that the temple itself can be considered a supernatural entity and is somehow alive, with a will of its own, and powers similar to a stone pyramid, or millennium tree, and is able to phase out of existence similar to a fade town if anyone unwanted comes searching for the place.

Dark Temple of Souls (Library of the Dead)

Main: 60,000 Regen 15/melee Immobile, 6 attacks per melee
PPE Reserve: 11,000 Knows All Necro Spells
ISP: 5,000 All Sensitive & healing, Mindblock auto-Defense
Needs and Feeds on PPE & Souls through Blood Sacrifices

Powers similar to Millennium tree (See WB3 pg17)

1. Summon and control Ley Line Storm (similar to Millennium tree)
2. Power to heal, 50 hp/mdc, also cure sickness and disease
3. Purify food and water (or spoil food and water)
4. Resurrection and restoration - Remains must be brought into one of the Sarcophagi within the catacombs beneath the temple.
5. Sixth sense warning, Temple has knowledge of what goes on in and directly around temple, and can warn the Dark Scribes of danger
6. Visions and Dreams, Prophetic dreams to those who are worthy
7. Place of Evil, good creatures avoid the area within 50 miles

Additional Deific Abilities:

1. Control Dead: limit of # controlled increased to 1200 at a time
2. Unholy Healing Aura: increases natural healing ability of all undead within 1000ft by 1d6x10 SDC or MDC per minute, costs 2 PPE per undead affected, can be activated or deactivated at will (no action required). When active the aura can be detected through see aura, detect magic, and similar magic detection methods.
3. Return from the Grave: If this spell/ritual is performed at the temple the effects occur in an accelerated time-frame, requires a nightly ritual for 4 weeks accumulating in a full moon. (see that spell for details)
4. Summon 50 lesser demons per day, demons should have a connection with undead, like grave ghouls.
5. Fadetown ability, the temple disappears similar to a fade town

Spells of Legend: known to the Temple, only revealed or used if situation is dire

Barrier of Souls:

1000 PPE per hour to erect a 10,000 MDC barrier that blocks all attacks going in. Magical barrier can be made into a wall 100ft tall by 2000ft long curving in any which way desired, or a dome 400ft radius, or a sphere 250ft radius. Otherwise the wall has the same abilities as the spell Wailing Wall or Wall of Shadows.

Portal of The Dead:

1000 PPE per hour, opens a rift/portal through which an endless stream of animated dead pour out of. Occasionally include haunting entities. Summons 2d6x1000 per hour or 1d6x10 per melee.

Keeper of the Dark Temple (aka The Black Librarian)

Through a link or bond similar to a witch pact with the Temple of Souls The Black Librarian has gained the ability to absorb the knowledge and skills from the dead (no ppe cost) after consumption or prolonged contact with the remains. The gained skills are temporary lasting a number of days equal to his level unless the knowledge is recorded into one of the books in the library. He puts this ability to use in gathering knowledge of any kind of dark magic or necromantic power and recording it into one of the many books of the Library of the Dead. Often times parts of the dead body are incorporated into the books with leather covers made from the tanned flesh, or book binding made from the sinews of bones and tendons of the deceased. Each book added to the library increases the knowledge and power of both the Dark Temple of Souls, and The Black Librarian himself.

The Black Librarian started off as a Priest of Darkness, and has all OCC powers of the Priest of Darkness except Demon Familiar. In addition to this he has additional powers & spell knowledge from a number of other OCC's that was gained through his Absorb Knowledge from the Dead power.

Unique OCC Abilities gained through link with The Library of the Dead

The necromancer spell Consume Power and Knowledge, confers its granted powers for much longer duration (days instead of hours)
The spell Object Read the Dead does not cost ppe

Additional Abilities from other OCC's

Necromancer: impervious to vampires, Animate and Control the Dead, knows and can cast all necromancy and bone magic spells and any common spell magic available to necromancers at the listed ppe cost
African Witch: Knows all African Witch spells but costs double ppe
Blood Druid: See the future by blood sacrifice, has knowledge of Mystic Herbology, and is able to make some simple ointments, teas, and potions, but is not able to practice Herb Magic or create magic staves or wands, or anything that requires input of PPE.
Blood Shaman: Blood Ceremony (can gain PPE from release of blood, see Rifter 2, pg56, only he gains PPE at half the amount listed), knows all blood magic spells but costs double PPE to cast
Blood Priest: knows the spells Blood Rift, and Blood Sight but costs double to cast (see Rifter 8, pg73 for details)
Cursebringer: Recognize Curses (see Rifter 8, pg 78), Resistant (+4 save) to Curses, Magic Sicknesses, and Bio-Manipulation
Deathwalker: Night Of Vengeance (creates a Night walker zombie) but the ritual costs double PPE, Recognize the Undead (see Rifter 8, pg83)

The Black Librarian can also practice an advanced form of bone magic similar to stone magic or herbal magic only he uses various bones and body parts from rare creatures instead of stones or herbs.

The Black Librarian a dark book of Prophesies, that although very enigmatic, he is able to decipher with astonishing accuracy. Sometimes the Prophesies require sacrifices, or blood rituals similar to blood druids.

He wants to obtain a part of Osiris and sacrifice it to the temple
He is also interested in learning Atlantian shadow magic

[SolCannibal]

Additional Abilities from other OCC's

Necromancer: impervious to vampires, Animate and Control the Dead, knows and can cast all necromancy and bone magic spells and any common spell magic available to necromancers at the listed ppe cost
African Witch: Knows all African Witch spells but costs double ppe
Blood Druid: See the future by blood sacrifice, has knowledge of Mystic Herbology, and is able to make some simple ointments, teas, and potions, but is not able to practice Herb Magic or create magic staves or wands, or anything that requires input of PPE.
Blood Shaman: Blood Ceremony (can gain PPE from release of blood, see Rifter 2, pg56, only he gains PPE at half the amount listed), knows all blood magic spells but costs double PPE to cast
Blood Priest: knows the spells Blood Rift, and Blood Sight but costs double to cast (see Rifter 8, pg73 for details)
Cursebringer: Recognize Curses (see Rifter 8, pg 78), Resistant (+4 save) to Curses, Magic Sicknesses, and Bio-Manipulation
Deathwalker: Night Of Vengeance (creates a Night walker zombie) but the ritual costs double PPE, Recognize the Undead (see Rifter 8, pg83)

Must admit initially i misunderstood you to mean those OCCs might get benefits from making pacts with the Library, so was confused with the actual benefits, but then it clicked to me the list was actually about what a librarian "poaches" from those OCCs and things finally made sense. Nice and versatile bag of tricks.

As an aside, do you think it would make sense as an update for a Blood Druid to access some of the Blood Shaman or Priest capacities? And if so, which ones? If not, any ideas on how to make it more potentially interesting as either NPC or even PC?

[DD The Shmey]

Must admit initially i misunderstood you to mean those OCCs might get benefits from making pacts with the Library, so was confused with the actual benefits, but then it clicked to me the list was actually about what a librarian "poaches" from those OCCs and things finally made sense. Nice and versatile bag of tricks.

Yeah, I could have made that a little more clear. How is this?

In addition to this he has additional powers & spell knowledge from a number of other OCC's that was gained through his Absorb Knowledge from the Dead power.

Additional Abilities from other OCC's that the librarian has gained over the years

Necromancer: ...
African Witch: ..
...

As an aside, do you think it would make sense as an update for a Blood Druid to access some of the Blood Shaman or Priest capacities? And if so, which ones? If not, any ideas on how to make it more potentially interesting as either NPC or even PC?

Sure, I think that the Blood Druid needs an update. As written, Blood druids are essentially the same as druids with a few powers involving blood sacrifices tacked on. I don't think that supplementing them with Blood Magic from the Blood Shaman or Priest is necessarily the right step. Maybe a few of their ability's might be cool to transfer over,... but if you just give them access to all of the Blood Magic spells found in the rifter books, I think that they would lose a lot of their flavor that sets them aside from the Blood Shaman.

Instead I think it would be cool for Blood Druids to be able to use dead body components, like blood, bones, organs, as spell components in the same way that they can use various herbs. The Rifts England book has a bunch of pages of what essentially amounts to tables of different herbs and plants, and the magical properties and spells that a druid can get out of them, ... Rifts Atlantis has something similar with its section on stone magic. I think that it would be cool to publish a selection of different animal, human, monster, and supernatural creatures body parts along with the magical properties that a blood druid can use. It would be interesting to see an example of a magic potion made with herb magic, then a note below it that says that a blood druid can add blood from a chimera or other beast to enhance the potions abilities. Likewise body components could be added to the section on magic item crafting available to druids. This could be similar to some of the Necro-tech ideas that I have above, or bone magic items found in the Mystic Russia book.

On a side note, I always felt that Druids in general are under powered. Their selection of spells is less than other magic occ's and they have additional restrictions requiring them to have specific plant components in order to cast their spells. They have a little bit of an advantage in that they can make some magical items, ... but I don't think that makes up for their weaknesses and relative lack of versatility elsewhere. That said, I think if you are choosing to play a druid, you are doing it for the story background. Playing a druid comes with expectations that you can leverage your connection with nature, and be able to find allies in nature, whether it be fairy folk, or millennium tree's, or forest spirits, or whatever. In that sense, I am ok with Druids as they are.

In Blood druids the connection with nature is still there to some degree but is more limited, and they have a connection with blood sacrifices and monsters to replace it. just as a druid might expect to be able to find friends in forest spirits, a blood druid would likely be able to have friends in the form of monsters, forest orcs, evil spirits, and the like.

[SolCannibal]

Must admit initially i misunderstood you to mean those OCCs might get benefits from making pacts with the Library, so was confused with the actual benefits, but then it clicked to me the list was actually about what a librarian "poaches" from those OCCs and things finally made sense. Nice and versatile bag of tricks.

Yeah, I could have made that a little more clear. How is this?

In addition to this he has additional powers & spell knowledge from a number of other OCC's that was gained through his Absorb Knowledge from the Dead power.

Additional Abilities from other OCC's that the librarian has gained over the years

Necromancer: ...
African Witch: ..
...

Works fine for me.

As an aside, do you think it would make sense as an update for a Blood Druid to access some of the Blood Shaman or Priest capacities? And if so, which ones? If not, any ideas on how to make it more potentially interesting as either NPC or even PC?

Sure, I think that the Blood Druid needs an update. As written, Blood druids are essentially the same as druids with a few powers involving blood sacrifices tacked on. I don't think that supplementing them with Blood Magic from the Blood Shaman or Priest is necessarily the right step. Maybe a few of their ability's might be cool to transfer over,... but if you just give them access to all of the Blood Magic spells found in the rifter books, I think that they would lose a lot of their flavor that sets them aside from the Blood Shaman.

Instead I think it would be cool for Blood Druids to be able to use dead body components, like blood, bones, organs, as spell components in the same way that they can use various herbs. The Rifts England book has a bunch of pages of what essentially amounts to tables of different herbs and plants, and the magical properties and spells that a druid can get out of them, ... Rifts Atlantis has something similar with its section on stone magic. I think that it would be cool to publish a selection of different animal, human, monster, and supernatural creatures body parts along with the magical properties that a blood druid can use. It would be interesting to see an example of a magic potion made with herb magic, then a note below it that says that a blood druid can add blood from a chimera or other beast to enhance the potions abilities. Likewise body components could be added to the section on magic item crafting available to druids. This could be similar to some of the Necro-tech ideas that I have above, or bone magic items found in the Mystic Russia book.

Yeah, my first thought when you mentioned these lists was maybe adapting something from necromancers on either Africa or Mystic Russia.

In my own games i took things in a weird direction with some (blood) druids developing all sort TW-esque creations through the magical blending of herbs grown rich and fast on the blood and remains of certain monsters. They are mostly wanderers outside Blood Druid mainstream due to their roots in the teachings of a foreign sorcerer-pirate warlord that united a number of communities in France in a major uprising against the Gargoyle Empire for about 2 years in the 80s-90s PA. So, they became scapegoats for Blood Druid leadership to claim innocence and men & women mostly on the run, at least from what was once France.

On a side note, I always felt that Druids in general are under powered. Their selection of spells is less than other magic occ's and they have additional restrictions requiring them to have specific plant components in order to cast their spells. They have a little bit of an advantage in that they can make some magical items, ... but I don't think that makes up for their weaknesses and relative lack of versatility elsewhere. That said, I think if you are choosing to play a druid, you are doing it for the story background. Playing a druid comes with expectations that you can leverage your connection with nature, and be able to find allies in nature, whether it be fairy folk, or millennium tree's, or forest spirits, or whatever. In that sense, I am ok with Druids as they are.

In Blood druids the connection with nature is still there to some degree but is more limited, and they have a connection with blood sacrifices and monsters to replace it. just as a druid might expect to be able to find friends in forest spirits, a blood druid would likely be able to have friends in the form of monsters, forest orcs, evil spirits, and the like.

As mentioned above, i have toyed a little with the druids, though it's mostly in a conceptual/fluff stage so far, most of it has entered through a pair of NPCs, Alain Carnacki, a wandering (blood) druid that is a somewhat ok dude nostalgic of the wild times of the "Bretagne War" (still carries the rebel's flag in his wagon) living mostly from selling his "herbal wonders" and vermin extermination (thousand die through mass sacrifice where he passes - and no one cares, because they were all rats ) services.

And a so-called son of Dunscon (kind of) playing hero by supporting Tolkeen with a brigade of voluntaries from the Magic Zone, Lazlo, New Lazlo and other places - that also happens to be that same european sorcerer-pirate warlord, as the PCs are finding out.

[DD The Shmey]

As mentioned above, i have toyed a little with the druids, though it's mostly in a conceptual/fluff stage so far, most of it has entered through a pair of NPCs, Alain Carnacki, a wandering (blood) druid that is a somewhat ok dude nostalgic of the wild times of the "Bretagne War" (still carries the rebel's flag in his wagon) living mostly from selling his "herbal wonders" and vermin extermination (thousand die through mass sacrifice where he passes - and no one cares, because they were all rats ) services.

And a so-called son of Dunscon (kind of) playing hero by supporting Tolkeen with a brigade of voluntaries from the Magic Zone, Lazlo, New Lazlo and other places - that also happens to be that same european sorcerer-pirate warlord, as the PCs are finding out.

So in your game there is this guy, Gourmet, who claims to be the son of Dunscon (lord of the city of Brass), is helping Tolkien with a posse of magic people. This same guy is also a pirate king in France with connections to blood druids, is himself a practicing TW blood druid, and lead some kind of rebellion against the gargoyle empire in France in the 80's PA.

What can you tell me about his assets? ... like is the pirate kingdom still around?
How big is the pirate kingdom now? Are we talking a single port town with a few thousand people and a few hundred combatants, or are we talking a small empire that controls a large section of France with standing armies in the tens to hundreds of thousands?
Does he employ a lot of power armor and vehicles? or is it mostly magic users, and supernatural creatures?

[SolCannibal]

As mentioned above, i have toyed a little with the druids, though it's mostly in a conceptual/fluff stage so far, most of it has entered through a pair of NPCs, Alain Carnacki, a wandering (blood) druid that is a somewhat ok dude nostalgic of the wild times of the "Bretagne War" (still carries the rebel's flag in his wagon) living mostly from selling his "herbal wonders" and vermin extermination (thousand die through mass sacrifice where he passes - and no one cares, because they were all rats ) services.

And a so-called son of Dunscon (kind of) playing hero by supporting Tolkeen with a brigade of voluntaries from the Magic Zone, Lazlo, New Lazlo and other places - that also happens to be that same european sorcerer-pirate warlord, as the PCs are finding out.

So in your game there is this guy, Gourmet, who claims to be the son of Dunscon (lord of the city of Brass), is helping Tolkien with a posse of magic people. This same guy is also a pirate king in France with connections to blood druids, is himself a practicing TW blood druid, and lead some kind of rebellion against the gargoyle empire in France in the 80's PA.

Actually, Gourmet is the nickname Alain Carnacki commonly uses. He was not the warlord, but one of a generation of young blood druids that became more enamored of the bloodshed of "the great campaign" and the arcane lore developed by them under the guidance of the Warlord, of which the "herbal TW" was one of many inovations.

The warlord is Cyprian Dunscon (yes, he's the real thing), infamous in Europe, Atlantis and some other circles through the titles Cyprian Redcloak, Cyprian Darkmantle and Cyprian Ironcoat, the wandering sorcerer, pirate warlord of Lyonesse, about whom rumors abound, some identifying him with an ancient sorcerer-saint already legend when Merlin and Camelot were young.

And he was very much responsible for half of those, self-agrandizing knave that he is. The idea of teaching magic to people wherever he passed was partly inspired by this and this, further exploiting the legend (in fact his titles/nicknames are themselves references to these popular folk grimoires) and cementing his association with it. Alistair, who named his son as a homage to the same Cyprian - in my game, all of Alistair's (many) children are named after legendary occult figures - loved the boy's brazen, deliciously self-serving sense of irony.

What can you tell me about his assets? ... like is the pirate kingdom still around?
How big is the pirate kingdom now? Are we talking a single port town with a few thousand people and a few hundred combatants, or are we talking a small empire that controls a large section of France with standing armies in the tens to hundreds of thousands?
Does he employ a lot of power armor and vehicles? or is it mostly magic users, and supernatural creatures?

His life and assets have gone through considerable up & downs through the decades - one of the things his father finds endelessly entertaining about his prodigal son when they have the chance to exchange messages and words. During a good part of his career he ruled Lyonesse, a pirate republic he established in a isle close to Britain that would D-shift back and forth in strange patterns know only to him and his captains. Think of an oversized Fadetown with weird ruins of a true atlantean outpost serving as base for a place like Queenston (from CS Navy), grown rich in stealing the loot of the atlanteans and others.

Cyprian and the Lyonesse people made a good part of his success in exploiting Splugorth marauding while playing roguish hero in the process - by attacking the atlantean raiding parties, freeing slaves, helping them find any relatives or survivors of attacked communities and them taking everybody to a more defensible place, to make a fortified hideout together for them to begin anew. Many times he would take the time to exchange knowledge or outright teach any practicioners of magic he found among those, to serve as local protectors and future contacts. If none were available, he would find some young psychic or two and through magic and meditations initiate them as Mystics. Through repeating this pattern for a decade or two he established a network of friendly villages, towns and even a few cities all across the Atlantic Coast of Europe, hideouts and places to trade or liberate survivors & slaves taken from the Atlantis.
What also became one of the reasons the NGR's Navy sometimes turned a blind eye to them - beside bribing the occasional officer, that is - he was far more of a headache for Atlantis and allies of theirs like the Gargoyles than to the NGR and other human or Dbee societies.

But then something went wrong with whatever was responsible for the isle's D-shifting, forcing the pirates to abandon Lyonesse and into a fight with a Splugorth fleet, that they survived by merit as much as luck of it becoming a four-way/free-for-all battle with Horune and NGR Navy joining in.

Battered and without a home, Cyprian lead his horde of reavers on a bold move, called in favors from lots of places and convinced the Blood Druids and a number of minor local powers - TW Jotans & kobolds above and below the mountains, disgruntled near-extinct branches of the gargoyles, enclaves of battered fae hiding in battered forests, strange coastal covens of psychics calling themselves cuckos and more - that they could do better under him than the Gargoyles, and greedy backstabing bastards that many of those were, it turned in a major uprising, taking over much Brittany, Normandy and the Bay of Biscay, possibly one the largest setbacks to hit the Gargoyle Empire before the NGR's extermination campaign in recent years.
He not only led them, but coordinated and trained them, forming them in military units, specialized, mixed and more besides, exchanging groups, techniques, methods and strategies between followers old and new, in a process of reform and army-building through which he unleashed a variety of tactics, new forms of magic, artifacts and workings that took everybody by surprise and made the possibility of the Gargoyles losing a large chunk of France, if not all of it, to the hundreds of thousands fighting for him under the banner of the Triple Triskelion, seem all too feasible. He went as far as to besiege and actually submerge the city of Paris as part of some major sorcerous project of his, a major undertaking involving the awakening and reconecting of stone circles, menhirs and dolmens all across the land (and drowned roads under the waters of Biscay or La Manche, if some stories were to be believed).

But then everything came crashing down, hard, due to some mess involving the psychic covens and the unleashing of an Alien Intelligence they served, what resulted in Cyprian's disapearance while stopping the damn thing (better to die fighting than as cthulhu's chump) and the alliance of groups coming apart at the seams with confusion, exchanged accusations and breakdown on the chains of command, at what point the Blood Druid leadership were the first to change sides, throwing everybody else to the Gargoyles, along with those of their disciples that they felt had gotten too chummy to "the movement" for their tastes, Alain/Gourmet a very visible sore thumb of those.

Many died, others escaped and spread out. Lyonesse is gone and the dream of a nation with its fallen lord, but some of the pirate captains and refugees of the uprising moved all across the coast, settling down and buffing up that network of communities they had long built, that live on as a loose alliance of survivalists, pirate and contrabandists, in a sort of criminal hybrid of Liberated Underground and Black Market.

Meanwhile Cyprian had a bunch of misadventures of his own before managing to return to Rifts Earth around the time of the Gathering of Heroes. More on that later, have to go now.

[SolCannibal]

Hmmm, let me try to be a more concise this time around.

What can you tell me about his assets? ... like is the pirate kingdom still around?
How big is the pirate kingdom now? Are we talking a single port town with a few thousand people and a few hundred combatants, or are we talking a small empire that controls a large section of France with standing armies in the tens to hundreds of thousands?
Does he employ a lot of power armor and vehicles? or is it mostly magic users, and supernatural creatures?

Cyprian's pirate kingdom per se is gone: the isle of Lyonesse disappeared in some limbo between planes and the empire he dreamed of building between France and Spain started to crumble the moment events spiraled out of his control and he was forced to disappear. That said, a number of his captains and non-pirate followers survived and mixed themselves amidst the myriad of communities of atlantean escapees or ex-slaves, managed to persevere and even prosper. They could make a solid powerbase of people who would notice a return on his part and might listen or follow him. If he played his cards right - and managed not to get himself killed by now scalded Gargoyle Empire, Atlantis OR NGR - he might have a second chance at nation-building, who knows.

But that is the past, at leasy for now. The setbacks of years past, both on Rifts Earth and a HU Earth he passed the intervening decade as an armored world-conquering dictator, along with the ups and downs of his return to Rifts Earth as atlantean slave, part of a shipment of sacrifices to the Phoenix Empire that rebels mid-voyage and turning into impromptu post-apoc Spartacus in Africa, to then find out about the coming of the Four Horsemen - and that Splynn had probably played them as cat's paws all along - left him a more rattled than he likes to admit, leading to the decision to go back home and chill.

Only to strike at the idea of joining Tolkeen as "a goodwill gesture" of the FoM and observer of the whole situation, as a mix of open spy and war consultant. He also saw it as an oportunity to evaluate the resources, battle preparedness and strategies from both sides, while learning and crash-testing his own along the way.
While a pale shadow of the hundreds of thousands that once fought under his name and flag, he managed to join Tolkeen with a posse of about 1536 fighting men & women, nothing to sneeze at and more than a match for all but the largest mercenary companies in North America, formed mainly of his "liberated army" during the Gathering of Heroes, a mish-mash of atlantean slaves with remnants of his HU forces that were sold along with to the Splugorth (with some survivors of places hit by the Horseman of War peppered among them), now all adapted to his prefered standards. Through the years of the war he managed to double this force by attracting volunteers by either active propaganda in the Magic Zone, Lazlo, New Lazlo, Kingsdale, Merctown and other places and rescuing and training survivors from villages and small towns razed by the CS Forces. Those might have gotten much larger if the Warlords did not make an active point of regularly "redrafting" many of those survivors back into the main Tolkeen army, just in case. Non-combatant support personnel should be about triple those numbers, with lots of TWs and a variety of healers or artificers mixed in.

Cyprian tends to be not too trusting of supernatural creatures not under magical control and even then treats those as unruly, stupid rabid cannon fodder (what truth be told, is what many of them tend to be) and knows from experience magic users are much harder to train and replace than soldiers, so troops, guns, vehicles and armor all the way is the kind of army he rolls.

His force is essentially an "old school" CS brigade (double sized later on) reskinned with "TW & Summons" theme [and self-regeneration, to "balance out" with the more advanced CS War Campaign hardware]: Flying seahorse-like beasts or TW hover cycles (240), Hover APCs (60), giant golems the size of Abolishers (20) or Enforcers (30) powered by imprisoned demons or elementals, in place of Spider Walkers, giant extradimensional scorpions that shoot sonic blasts (20) and gigantic elemental geodes that open themselves and serve as Death's Head Transport surrogates (6). About 192 power armor pilots in TW suits equivalent to RMB's Samas.

I do have more precise numbers and arrangements somewhere in my morass of old files, but hope this helps to give an overall idea.

[DD The Shmey]

Paraphrasing what you said

Cyprian ruled Lyonesse, a pirate republic, an isle close to Britain that would D-shift back and forth in strange patterns know only to him and his captains. ... exploiting Splugorth marauding ... freeing slaves, ... helping them make fortified hideouts ... established a network of friendly communities... all across the Atlantic Coast of Europe. ... then something went wrong ... they abandon Lyonesse and fight Splugorth fleet.

Battered and without a home ... they called in favors ... convinced the Blood Druids and a number of minor powers (to rebel against) Gargoyles ... it turned in a major uprising, taking over much Brittany, Normandy and the Bay of Biscay.

Then ... some mess involving a freed Alien Intelligence, ... Cyprian disappeared ... alliance fell apart ... and Gargoyles win.

Now ... some pirate captains and refugees... settled down (on the coast of France) ... a loose alliance of survivalists, pirate and contraband, in a sort of criminal hybrid of Liberated Underground and Black Market.

Cyprian had a bunch of adventures in (other dimensions) ... return to Rifts Earth around the time of the Gathering of Heroes

Cool story, ... this NPC has a long and storied past. The amount of history you have for him actually make it seem more like he was your PC at one point, and then you changed him to an NPC for campaigns you were running.

I also like the background on the pirate kingdoms and other small communities along the west coast of France banding together fighting against splugorthian slavers. If I was a GM with a party going through western France, I might adopt some of these ideas for my own game.

One thing that I got a little bit hung up on was your portrayal of gargoyles being in control of all of France. You referred to the conflict between the pirates+allies and the gargoyles as some kind of rebellion, even though the locations of the pirates and their allies were along the western coast of France.

Maps and the gargoyle empire under Zersturn only touch the southeast corner of France in the french alps, maybe covering 5-10% of France. It's true also that the books talk about many independent gargoyle tribes in Belgium, Netherlands, and parts of eastern France, but their isn't any gargoyle activity described west of Paris, 2/3rds of France.

Actually the books don't really say much about that 2/3rds of France, other than it is mostly wilderness with pockets of monsters and debees, and that Blood Druids are common. The books present the area as having lower populations also. Reflecting on this whatever small monster kingdoms are present in France could have a similar relationship with the large neighboring Gargoyle Empire superpower that the former Soviet nations have with Russia. Independent, but heavily influenced by their much more powerful neighbor. I can easily imagine it going even further in some kingdoms being subservient to the Gargoyle Empire, and doing whatever the Gargoyles want in fear of a reprisal. I still think that as the distance grows away from the territories dominated by the gargoyles that this influence would quickly drop off.

[DD The Shmey]

By the way, going back to my earlier post

Spoiler:

Here is another necromancer cult, this one built around a temple and place of magic. Please give me some feedback. If you guys were going to add this cult into your games, what kinds of things would you change to adapt it to your world?

Cult of the Dark Temple

The cultist of the Dark Temple are known among themselves as Dark Scribes. There are not very many of them compared with the more popular cults, however the Dark Scribes have a great deal of influence over other Necromancer Cults due to the potential services they can provide. Necromancers from across the world make pilgrimages to the mecca of this cult, a place known as the Dark Temple of Souls. After offering a blood sacrifice to the Dark Temple of Souls, a ritual which results in the victims soul being devoured by the temple itself, the Necromancer is allowed into the deeper chambers of the Dark Temple where the Library of the Dead is located. In the Library of the Dead the Necromancers can study ancient dark magics of their craft.

The temple and the cult are overseen by the Keeper of the Dark Temple (aka The Black Librarian), an ancient master in the dark arts of necromancy whose knowledge on the subject is second to none. If any Necromancer pilgrim abuses his privileges within the Library, or becomes too rowdy, or somehow insults the Temple or the Black Librarian, they will soon find themselves victims of a blood sacrifice, with their own knowledge being absorbed and added to the many dark books in the library.

The Dark Scribes often use Bone magic to create magical items and charms. Any listed in Mysitic Russia may be available as well as

Staff of the Dead:

Withered Rod of bone eaten by worms and bugs. inflicts 4d6 MD on strike, and can cast 6 spells per day including: Agony, life drain, sickness, wisps of confusion, turn dead, and animate and control dead.

Dark Temple of Souls (Library of the Dead)

Image used for Inspiration: deviantart.com/noah-kh/art/Grave-of-Souls-59505425

The entrance to the temple itself is located on the side of a cliff along a small seasonal tributary river to the Nile somewhere within the Bayuda volcanic field in central Sudan. Faint ley lines seem to converge somewhere underground at the temple, and the region around the temple is an area of powerful magic.
A carefully guarded secret known only to the members of the cult is that the temple itself can be considered a supernatural entity and is somehow alive, with a will of its own, and powers similar to a stone pyramid, or millennium tree, and is able to phase out of existence similar to a fade town if anyone unwanted comes searching for the place.

Dark Temple of Souls (Library of the Dead)

Main: 60,000 Regen 15/melee Immobile, 6 attacks per melee
PPE Reserve: 11,000 Knows All Necro Spells
ISP: 5,000 All Sensitive & healing, Mindblock auto-Defense
Needs and Feeds on PPE & Souls through Blood Sacrifices

Powers similar to Millennium tree (See WB3 pg17)

1. Summon and control Ley Line Storm (similar to Millennium tree)
2. Power to heal, 50 hp/mdc, also cure sickness and disease
3. Purify food and water (or spoil food and water)
4. Resurrection and restoration - Remains must be brought into one of the Sarcophagi within the catacombs beneath the temple.
5. Sixth sense warning, Temple has knowledge of what goes on in and directly around temple, and can warn the Dark Scribes of danger
6. Visions and Dreams, Prophetic dreams to those who are worthy
7. Place of Evil, good creatures avoid the area within 50 miles

Additional Deific Abilities:

1. Control Dead: limit of # controlled increased to 1200 at a time
2. Unholy Healing Aura: increases natural healing ability of all undead within 1000ft by 1d6x10 SDC or MDC per minute, costs 2 PPE per undead affected, can be activated or deactivated at will (no action required). When active the aura can be detected through see aura, detect magic, and similar magic detection methods.
3. Return from the Grave: If this spell/ritual is performed at the temple the effects occur in an accelerated time-frame, requires a nightly ritual for 4 weeks accumulating in a full moon. (see that spell for details)
4. Summon 50 lesser demons per day, demons should have a connection with undead, like grave ghouls.
5. Fadetown ability, the temple disappears similar to a fade town

Spells of Legend: known to the Temple, only revealed or used if situation is dire

Barrier of Souls:

1000 PPE per hour to erect a 10,000 MDC barrier that blocks all attacks going in. Magical barrier can be made into a wall 100ft tall by 2000ft long curving in any which way desired, or a dome 400ft radius, or a sphere 250ft radius. Otherwise the wall has the same abilities as the spell Wailing Wall or Wall of Shadows.

Portal of The Dead:

1000 PPE per hour, opens a rift/portal through which an endless stream of animated dead pour out of. Occasionally include haunting entities. Summons 2d6x1000 per hour or 1d6x10 per melee.

Keeper of the Dark Temple (aka The Black Librarian)

Through a link or bond similar to a witch pact with the Temple of Souls The Black Librarian has gained the ability to absorb the knowledge and skills from the dead (no ppe cost) after consumption or prolonged contact with the remains. The gained skills are temporary lasting a number of days equal to his level unless the knowledge is recorded into one of the books in the library. He puts this ability to use in gathering knowledge of any kind of dark magic or necromantic power and recording it into one of the many books of the Library of the Dead. Often times parts of the dead body are incorporated into the books with leather covers made from the tanned flesh, or book binding made from the sinews of bones and tendons of the deceased. Each book added to the library increases the knowledge and power of both the Dark Temple of Souls, and The Black Librarian himself.

The Black Librarian started off as a Priest of Darkness, and has all OCC powers of the Priest of Darkness except Demon Familiar. In addition to this he has additional powers & spell knowledge from a number of other OCC's that was gained through his Absorb Knowledge from the Dead power.

Unique OCC Abilities gained through link with The Library of the Dead

The necromancer spell Consume Power and Knowledge, confers its granted powers for much longer duration (days instead of hours)
The spell Object Read the Dead does not cost ppe

Additional Abilities from other OCC's

Necromancer: impervious to vampires, Animate and Control the Dead, knows and can cast all necromancy and bone magic spells and any common spell magic available to necromancers at the listed ppe cost
African Witch: Knows all African Witch spells but costs double ppe
Blood Druid: See the future by blood sacrifice, has knowledge of Mystic Herbology, and is able to make some simple ointments, teas, and potions, but is not able to practice Herb Magic or create magic staves or wands, or anything that requires input of PPE.
Blood Shaman: Blood Ceremony (can gain PPE from release of blood, see Rifter 2, pg56, only he gains PPE at half the amount listed), knows all blood magic spells but costs double PPE to cast
Blood Priest: knows the spells Blood Rift, and Blood Sight but costs double to cast (see Rifter 8, pg73 for details)
Cursebringer: Recognize Curses (see Rifter 8, pg 78), Resistant (+4 save) to Curses, Magic Sicknesses, and Bio-Manipulation
Deathwalker: Night Of Vengeance (creates a Night walker zombie) but the ritual costs double PPE, Recognize the Undead (see Rifter 8, pg83)

The Black Librarian can also practice an advanced form of bone magic similar to stone magic or herbal magic only he uses various bones and body parts from rare creatures instead of stones or herbs.

The Black Librarian a dark book of Prophesies, that although very enigmatic, he is able to decipher with astonishing accuracy. Sometimes the Prophesies require sacrifices, or blood rituals similar to blood druids.

He wants to obtain a part of Osiris and sacrifice it to the temple
He is also interested in learning Atlantian shadow magic

I want to draw attention to the Dark Temple of Souls itself.

The inspiration really did start with an image I found on deviant art (see description above for web address). I wrote up a first draft for the stats of the temple ~10 years ago on a 3x5 card. At the time I was experimenting with the random generation tables for supernatural intelligence and alien intelligence found in a few books. I think I consulted Conversion Book 1, and Dragons and Gods, and many of the current stats are a residue from that earlier work. Obviously the temple is immobile, and not really a traditional AI or SI. I also envisioned it with powers similar to a stone pyramid at a nexus or a millennium tree.

About a year ago I revised the temple and started adding more information about the cult surrounding it, and a month ago I really filled in a lot of the text background and researched a location for it in Africa. I encourage you guys to google "bayuda volcanic field" in Sudan and look at the images that pop up. It looks cool, almost like the surface of Mars, and I can imagine hiding a dark temple in a canyon in someplace like this.

I am still not all that certain about the block of statistics for it (main body is 60,000, ppe reserve 11,000, and what not...), and how these statistics would fit into the balance of the world. Again they were originally generated with the alien intelligence tables, so they create numbers that are on the same order of a Splugorth intelligence, or one of the greater Supernatural Intelligence's that are among the lords of Hades/Dyval. I feel like I should tone the numbers down some, but am not sure how by much, or if the abilities are appropriate. My intention wasn't to create something out there in Sudan so powerful that would make Pharaoh Rama-Set nervous.

What do you guys think?

[SolCannibal]

Paraphrasing what you said

Cyprian ruled Lyonesse, a pirate republic, an isle close to Britain that would D-shift back and forth in strange patterns know only to him and his captains. ... exploiting Splugorth marauding ... freeing slaves, ... helping them make fortified hideouts ... established a network of friendly communities... all across the Atlantic Coast of Europe. ... then something went wrong ... they abandon Lyonesse and fight Splugorth fleet.

Battered and without a home ... they called in favors ... convinced the Blood Druids and a number of minor powers (to rebel against) Gargoyles ... it turned in a major uprising, taking over much Brittany, Normandy and the Bay of Biscay.

Then ... some mess involving a freed Alien Intelligence, ... Cyprian disappeared ... alliance fell apart ... and Gargoyles win.

Now ... some pirate captains and refugees... settled down (on the coast of France) ... a loose alliance of survivalists, pirate and contraband, in a sort of criminal hybrid of Liberated Underground and Black Market.

Cyprian had a bunch of adventures in (other dimensions) ... return to Rifts Earth around the time of the Gathering of Heroes

Cool story, ... this NPC has a long and storied past. The amount of history you have for him actually make it seem more like he was your PC at one point, and then you changed him to an NPC for campaigns you were running.

You would not be wrong in that assumption, though much of this came up of me working on connections and hooks to interact with the PCs own backgrounds in my recent group.

I also like the background on the pirate kingdoms and other small communities along the west coast of France banding together fighting against splugorthian slavers. If I was a GM with a party going through western France, I might adopt some of these ideas for my own game.

Thanks for the appreciation and feel free to have a go at it.

One thing that I got a little bit hung up on was your portrayal of gargoyles being in control of all of France. You referred to the conflict between the pirates+allies and the gargoyles as some kind of rebellion, even though the locations of the pirates and their allies were along the western coast of France.

Maps and the gargoyle empire under Zersturn only touch the southeast corner of France in the french alps, maybe covering 5-10% of France. It's true also that the books talk about many independent gargoyle tribes in Belgium, Netherlands, and parts of eastern France, but their isn't any gargoyle activity described west of Paris, 2/3rds of France.

Actually the books don't really say much about that 2/3rds of France, other than it is mostly wilderness with pockets of monsters and debees, and that Blood Druids are common. The books present the area as having lower populations also. Reflecting on this whatever small monster kingdoms are present in France could have a similar relationship with the large neighboring Gargoyle Empire superpower that the former Soviet nations have with Russia. Independent, but heavily influenced by their much more powerful neighbor. I can easily imagine it going even further in some kingdoms being subservient to the Gargoyle Empire, and doing whatever the Gargoyles want in fear of a reprisal. I still think that as the distance grows away from the territories dominated by the gargoyles that this influence would quickly drop off.

WB5 is indeed loose in details and that together with Erin Tarn's comment about how "several cities scattered throughout Europe, especially in France (including legendary Paris) , Belgium, Austria and Italy; fall into the territory claimed by the Gargoyle Empire", has colored my view of the area for long.

But then, those are in her own words, things according to her companions, what would seem to imply that, correct or not, it's a pretty common perception of the region in the NGR and more developed places at the time (103 PA). But won't deny, as this was more of a background thing, much of it was written more from memory than precise fact-checking of the Triax books.

My take was that it was a loosely claimed border area so to speak, where the Gargoyles were far from the majority, but local factions lacked the individual power, motivation and organization to make any strong opposition, making for the falsely stable situation of a lazy, confortable status quo of convenience - until Cyprian and his Lyonesse reavers came in, to collect all the little sparks of ambition and resources together to fan them into a bonfire of destruction, that is.

It also relates in part to why the Blood Druid leadership was so quick to change sides - they were the most confortable ones of those local powers and as the campaign advanced brought changes and many young druids began to grow strong and wise in strange new arts, they began to see that the Brave New World taking form around them might be one where they were obsolete and unnecessary. And so when things started to turn loose, decided to cut their losses, procceding to get things "back to normal" in the most efficiently cutthroat manner they could.