Author: CPD Editors: Kathy Czechowski Stanley Brown Consultants: Kathy Czechowski Stanley Brown (AKA Vinsane) Sade

(AKA Sade).
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................2 The Book of Arrows I ...................................................................................................................3 ARROWS RETRIEVING RULES...............................................................................4 Arrow Description............................................................................................................................5 NEW ARROWS OF EARTHDAWN ........................................................................6
Spiraling Bolts ......................................................................................................................................6 Armor Piercer.......................................................................................................................................7 Bone-, Stone-, and Wood-tipped Arrows ...........................................................................8 Blood Raven Arrows ........................................................................................................................9 Griffin Arrow...................................................................................................................................... 10 Hornet Arrows ................................................................................................................................... 10 Arrow Whistle and Whistling Arrows ............................................................................... 11 Tiger Hawk Eyes .............................................................................................................................. 12 Forked Arrows .................................................................................................................................. 12 Wild Crushers .................................................................................................................................... 13 Tongue-tipped Arrows ................................................................................................................. 14 Fishing Arrow.................................................................................................................................... 15 Arrow of Pain .................................................................................................................................... 17 Deep Purple Stingers .................................................................................................................... 17 Dragons Kiss .................................................................................................................................... 19 Poison Arrow ..................................................................................................................................... 20
1

Hollow-tipped Arrows .............................................................................................. 16

Acid Arrows ................................................................................................................................... 21

Maidens Tears ................................................................................................................................. 23 Sunlight Beetle Acid ...................................................................................................................... 23 The Dew of Dis ................................................................................................................................. 23 True Acid ............................................................................................................................................... 24 Kulo........................................................................................................................................................... 26 Yellow Root Gas Arrow .............................................................................................................. 26 Shosaran Flight Arrows ............................................................................................................. 27 Horror Harvesters .......................................................................................................................... 28 Thorn Arrow ....................................................................................................................................... 29 Angekos Direction Finders ..................................................................................................... 29 Arrow of the Night .......................................................................................................................... 30 Rephy Arrows ..................................................................................................................................... 30

Gas Arrows ...................................................................................................................................... 25

NEW MAGICAL ARROWS OF EARTHDAWN. ................................. 27

THE ARROWS TABLE ........................................................................................................ 33 INTRODUCTION

The Earthdawn Weapons Project is a rules supplement for the Earthdawn roleplaying game system. The project is divided into books, each dealing with a single type of weapon, weapon skills and appropriate talents that players and gamemasters can use in Earthdawn adventures and campaigns. The Earthdawn rulebook is somewhat lacking when it comes to the weapons section. A great variety of special thread weapons exist for the GM to choose from, but the players' choice at a regular shop is a bit bland. Thread weapons are hard to come by, especially for low Circle players. The following books will try to rectify that lack for anybody who wishes for something a little more imaginative than a broadsword, a longbow or a knife. Please note: some of the weapons presented are more powerful than those allowed in the basic rulebook. Use at your own discretion.

The Book of Arrows I

"Would you need anything else, sir?" "Me friend wants to get some new arros, too. Broke 'is last on that bloody 'orror." "Sorry?" "I buy a bunch of arros." "Arrows?" "S'right." "What kind would you like sir? We have new armor piercer arrows, crafted by Master Kedaf Reliam himself! We have hornets from Lake Ban. Or if you are interested in the exceptionally rare, I can offer you a special discount on blood ravens. Just name it: we can supply it." "Is bloody arros is what OI need!" "We have fishing arrows from the Servos, stylish hawk eyes from Thera, crushers and whistlers from Marac..." "Now lookie 'ere, you bloody bastard. Oi know when someone makes bloody fun of me, and if there is bloody something to start me gahad going is a smartass who tink they can get away with it." "Honorable sir, honorable sir, I meant no offense! I only wanted to bring to your attention this month's specials. We have just received an extraordinary delivery from Parlainth. I know its hard to believe, but we have managed to get our hands on a score of red Shosarans!" "Warrrrggggggg!!!" ---A conversation heard on the streets of Bartertown, between Hisham Four Fingers (later known as 'No Fingers'), an honest weapon merchant, and Giramon Nasty Tooth, an honest scorcher ---Not So Famous Last Words, by Chtal Vstrimon

ARROWS RETRIEVING RULES

In my experience, in most games arrows have been used with the 'fire and forget' concept in mind. The usual archer player would stand and deliver while trying to keep an honest count of arrows used, if he even bothered at all. (In fact, in most AD&D games Ive played, arrow shopping was something you did only once at the beginning of the game. The quiver always kept the initial twenty arrows, no matter how many times you fired the bow. Sometimes at the end of an adventure, youd buy another set of arrows to keep the DM (sorry, GM), happy.) The Book of Arrows presents an alternative set of arrows. Some of them are pretty powerful, and cost accordingly. An average GM wouldnt look the other way if a player started reusing his sole +10 step arrow in battle. The Call Arrow talent is only available to archers of Seventh Circle, but arrow retrieval after a battle should be considered a viable alternative for lower Circle adepts. When dealing with cheap, basic arrows, a simple ratio of 1 out of 4 can be used for retrieval calculations after a battle. For costlier or more specialized arrows, the archer may use the following rules: If the arrow missed the target, there is a basic 50% of it being retrieved (6-10 on d10). The GM should take into consideration the chance of the arrow being lost or broken. For example, the following modifiers apply: Type of terrain in which the battle took place Open area with no obstacles: +3 (A desert or the like.) Woods: -1 (There is a chance of the arrow lodging in a tree, but there is also a nice chance of it disappearing forever inside a bush.)

Closed areas: -2 (This includes buildings, kaers, etc.) Weather modifiers: Clear day: No modifier Rainy day: -2 Fog or Storm: -4 If the arrow hits the target, there is 3 in 4 (2-4 on d4) chance the arrow can be salvaged, if the target is slain on the same battle round the arrow hit. For every round after the initial hit, add -1 to the Retrieval Test. On the second round, the chance is 1 in 2 (3-4 on d4): on the third round, the chance is 1 in 4, and on the fourth round the arrow is considered lost. Alternatively, a generous GM could give a player a 5% chance for retrieving an arrow (20 on a d20). Note: Arrow retrieval rules do not apply to hollow-tipped arrows.

Arrow Description
The arrow descriptions that follow include these statistics: General description - special characteristics of the arrow, and a short description of its origin Statistics table Arrow Name Cost (in silver pieces, unless stated otherwise) Attack modifiers - Number of steps to add or subtract from the Missile Weapon talent step, for the Attack Test

Damage modifiers - Number of steps to add or subtract from the Damage Test Range - If the range is stated in yards, then substitute the basic arrow range from the ED rulebook. If the range is stated in +X or -X modifiers, then add or subtract the modifier range to the upper limit of the original range in the ED rulebook For example: The wild crusher arrow has a -20 modifier for short-range, -20 modifier for medium range, and -100 modifier for long range. Uparim Edaya, a Theran archer, wishes to fire a wild crusher from his great crossbow at a target that is 40 yards away. Looking at the ED rulebook, the range for a great crossbow is: Short Range 2-55 Short Range 2-35 Medium Range 56-200 Medium Range 36-180 Long Range 201-300 Long Range 181-200

The new range table, modified by wild crusher arrow range modifiers, is:

Uparim Edaya's target is at medium range for his arrow choice, and thus suffers medium range penalties.

NEW ARROWS OF EARTHDAWN

Spiraling Bolts
Invented in pre-Scourge Landis by the famous archer Alodihu Quickhands, slayer of the mad king Salail, the special fletching of these crossbow bolts causes them to spin during flight, resulting in greater accuracy. There are several craftsmen in Barsaive capable of producing these arrows, and they can be found in most major Barsaivian cities. A dwarf weaponsmith Named Degalek Merhabim of Throal has perfected the fletching to an art rivaling the skill of Alodihu. There are no crossbow bolts more accurate in all of Barsaive. His work, of course, doesnt come cheap. For game purposes, add +1 step to the Attack Test only (the Damage step stays the same). When using one of Degalek Merhabims arrows, add +2 steps for the Attack Test. Arrow Type: Spiraling Bolts Cost: According to bow type, + 40sp /15 bolts Attack Test Modifier: +2 steps Damage Modifier: None Short Range: According to bow type Medium Range: According to bow type Long Range: According to bow type Type Spiraling Bolts Cost According to bow type, + 40sp /15 bolts Attack test Damage modifier modifier +2 steps None Short Range According to bow type Medium Range According to bow type Long Range According to bow type

35/Bolt Spiraling Bolts Degalek Merhabim

+4 steps

None

According to bow type

According to bow type

According to bow type

Armor Piercer
Sir! You'd better take cover, sir! Why son, dont be ridiculous! This armor was forged by the best crystal shapers of Thera. There is nothing these barbarous Barsaivians can throw at us --- A conversation between Yourankus Overconfidus, a Theran officer, and an anonymous soldier during the Battle of Sky Point --- Not So Famous Last Words, by Chtal Vstrimon

Alodihu Lucky Smile, son and apprentice to Alodihu Three Fingers, invented these specialized spiraling crossbow bolts. Using the spinning effect and a specialized enforced drilling tip, these crossbow bolts are a match for the toughest armor. Unfortunately, the knowledge of the perfect drilling tip has died with Alodihu. His kaer, like most kaers in Landis, didnt survive the Scourge. Recent attempts by great weaponsmiths have shown some progress, but none have yet been able to match the craft of Lucky Smile. 1)For game purposes, add +1 Step to the Attack Test, and subtract 1 from the targets Physical Armor Rating for damage calculation. When using one of Alodihu Lucky Smiles original arrows, add +2 steps to the Attack Test, and divide the Physical Armor Rating by 2, rounding up, for damage calculation. 2)Adventure Seeds: Alodihu Lucky Smile is still alive (actually half-alive) in Kaer Moridon. He is a cadaver man under the control of a bored wormskull named Landis' Doom. The wormskull outfits the kaer residents with weapons prepared by Alodihu, and pits them against each other every day inside an arena it has forced them to build. It would be a splendid adventure to try and rescue Alodihu. The stakes are high: all of the remaining kaer inhabitants have access to Lucky Smiles arrows and even worse. Who knows what other devious weapons Alodihu designed under the influence of the wormskull? For someone who manages to defeat the Horror and keep Alodihu alive, the reward is great. The knowledge in Lucky Smiles head can be worth a lot to the right person.

Type Armor Piercer

Cost 100sp / 15 bolts

Attack test Damage modifier modifier +2 steps -2 to target's Physical Armor Targets Physical Armor Rating is halved

Short Range According to bow type According to bow type

Medium Range According to bow type According to bow type

Long Range According to bow type According to bow type

Armor Piercer Alodihu

120 / Bolt

+2 steps

Bone-, Stone-, and Wood-tipped Arrows

These arrows are used mainly by the wild tribes of the Servos and the Liaj Jungles, and in other places where iron is tough to come by. Just as deadly as the iron-tipped arrow, they come up a little short when faced with armor. Physical Armor Ratings of 3 or better may cause them to break and fail to do any damage.

Type Woodtipped *

Cost Half the price of regular arrows Half the price of regular arrows 1/3 the price of regular arrows

Attack test Damage modifier modifier None None

Short Range According to bow type According to bow type According to bow type

Medium Range According to bow type According to bow type According to bow type

Long Range According to bow type According to bow type According to bow type

Stonetipped **

None

None

Bonetipped ***

None

None

* Note: Arrows break 1 out of 5 times ** Note: Arrows break 1 out of 5 times ***Note: Arrows break 3 out of 10 times

Blood Raven Arrows

"'The Elven queen so bright and fair A crown of roses in her hair Forth comes the warder sharp and bold His bow is set, his spear unfolds Lightning quick he makes the bed Twice as fast her legs are spread... Hey you! Put that ugly thing down, I was merely jesting --- Neor the untactful troubadour to an unappreciative blood elf audience --- Not So Famous Last Words, by Chtal Vstrimon Originating in Blood Wood, these longbow and short bow arrows are made entirely from the bones of blood ravens. They are lighter than regular arrows, yet deliver the same punch. Due to their special internal structure they have a greater range and better accuracy over long and medium ranges. There is a tiny market for these arrows since official Blood Wood policy dictates isolation.

Type Blood Raven Arrows Longbow

Cost 50/20 arrows

Attack test Damage modifier modifier None None

Short Range 2-40

Medium Range +50 yards

Long Range +50 yards

60/20 Blood arrows Raven Arrows ShortBow

None

None

2-40

+50 yards

+50 yards

Griffin Arrow
Hey, Bog, whats got the body of a darn big cat, the wings of a dragon and a beak as big as your mamas bottom? Beats me. Beats me too, but one just landed on the tree were sitting under. --- Bog and Sog, not so famous explorers of Griffin Falls. --- Not So Famous Last Words, by Chtal Vstrimon The fletchings of these arrows use griffin feathers. For unknown reason it gives them better stability during flight. Any archer worth his occupation can make an arrow using griffin feathers (no special test is needed). The tricky part, of course, is obtaining feathers from the griffin. Type Griffin arrow, longbow and short bow Cost 15/single arrow Attack test Damage modifier modifier +3 steps None Short Range +50 yards Medium Range +50 yards Long Range +50 yards

Hornet Arrows
The primitive tribes of the Liaj and the Servos Jungles use these special longbow arrows for hunting large prey. They use especially sharp edges made of blood hornet stings, which give the arrows extra punch, but also make them more brittle and prone to break on impact. There is a small market for these arrows on Lake Ban (the Floating City) and in several locations on the Servos River that deal with the primitive tribes. For game purposes, add +1 step to the Damage Test only. When used against an armored opponent, the armor gives its wearer double protection (subtract twice the Physical Armor Rating from the damage). For each shot against an armored person resulting in an Average success, there is also a chance of 1 in 6 that the arrow tip will break, rendering the arrow completely ineffective (ignore damage).

Type Hornet arrow

Cost 10/20 arrows

Attack test Damage modifier modifier None +1 step

Short Range According to bow type

Medium Range According to bow type

Long Range According to bow type

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Arrow Whistle and Whistling Arrows

Two different kinds of arrows are used in battlefield for signaling. Two to five apertures in the arrowhead give each a distinguished sound. This is a standard army tool used by both Throalic and Theran armies. Arrow whistles are purely signaling mechanisms and are only used in internal exercises or between friendly forces or allies. They are designed for shooting over a long distance at a high altitude and would not seriously hurt anyone. 1)A whistling arrow, on the other hand, is intended for firing at the enemy, while also giving a signal. The shooting distance is shorter and it would generally be used in the battlefield. It is chiefly a method of conveying battle command signals. 2)Another type of signaling arrow is the whistling fire arrow. Their signaling purpose is obvious. Below the whistle mechanism, there are sometimes forward-pointing iron prongs, designed to carry cotton or a coil of cord impregnated with oil. Battlefield situations often call for a concentration of fire, and it is especially difficult to allow the troops to see the angle and target of fire in the confused conditions of battle. By using fire and whistling sounds, these factors become easier to judge. Especially at the onset of battle, with the initial charge, the whistling arrow indicated the direction of the attack. The whistling arrow is a natural tool in the hands of battle commanders.

Type Arrow Whistle

Cost 25/20 arrows

Attack test Damage modifier modifier -2 steps To Hit Signaling - causes no Damage

Short Range According to bow type

Medium Range +50

Long Range +50

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Type Whistling Arrow Wisteling Fire arrows

Cost 60/20 arrows 70/20 arrows

Attack test Damage modifier modifier -2 steps To Hit -2 steps To Hit None

Short Range According to bow type According to bow type

Medium Range -20

Long Range -50

Fire causes additional step 4 damage.

-20

-50

Tiger Hawk Eyes

These stylish longbow arrows are made in Thera. Their only distinguishing attribute is highly-crafted and expensive fletching, made of rare tiger hawk feathers. In Thera they symbolize high status and grace; in other locations they symbolize bad taste. Type Tiger Hawk Eyes Cost 70 sp each Attack test Damage modifier modifier None None Short Range According to bow type Medium Range According to bow type Long Range According to bow type

Forked Arrows
Originating in far Cathay, these double- and triple-edged longbow arrows are now surfacing around Barsaive. They have a somewhat better chance than a regular arrow of going through armor, though they cause less damage. For game purposes, subtract -1 step from targets Physical Armor Rating and -1 step from damage. Type Forked Arrow Cost 10/20 Attack test Damage modifier modifier -1 Target Physical Armor Rating -1 step Short Range According to bow type Medium Range According to bow type Long Range According to bow type

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Wild Crushers

Favorite of the Vasgothian legion, these arrows are designed to give a deadly punch against the wild tribes of the north. A company of thirty-eight Theran soldiers caught with their backs against a creek wall managed to hold out for two days against three hundred angry tribesmen. Pinned at close range, they repelled charge after charge by inflicting a terrible price upon the painted tribesmen, using hails of wild crusher arrows. The deed inspired the famous ode, "Heroes of Red Creek". 1)Wild crushers come in two basic shapes: crescent tip and wide tip. Their downside is lesser range and somewhat less reliable trajectory. They also tend to be less effective against targets wearing anything better than leather armor. For game purposes, subtract -1 step to the Attack Test and add +2 steps to the damage taken by someone wearing leather armor or less. For someone wearing a better armor than leather, multiply the armor rating by 1.5, rounding up, before applying damage. Type Cost Attack test Damage modifier modifier -1 step Short Range Medium Range -20 Long Range -50

60/20 Crusher arrows arrow, long/short bow

+2 steps to -20 anyone wearing leather armor or less +5 steps to -20 anyone wearing leather armor or less

Crusher arrow, crossbow

120/20 arrows

-1 step

-20

-20

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Tongue-tipped Arrows

Like crushers, these arrows are meant to cause greater wounds and are more effective against unarmored targets. They are even less accurate than wild crushers, but are easily obtained outside the Theran military. They also cost much less than crushers. For game purposes, subtract -2 steps to the Attack Test and add +2 steps to the damage taken by someone wearing leather armor or less. For someone wearing a better armor than leather, multiply the Physical Armor Rating by 1.5, rounding up, before applying damage.

Type

Cost

Attack test Damage modifier modifier -2 step

Short Range

Medium Range -20

Long Range -50

20/20 Crusher arrows arrow, long/short bow

+2 steps to -20 anyone wearing leather armor or less +2 steps to -20 anyone wearing leather armor or less

Crusher arrow, crossbow

40/20 arrows

-2 step

-20

-20

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Fishing Arrow

Is it out yet? Is it out? I cant bear to watch! Oh, the pain, the pain! Yes, its out boss, and so is your liver, your spleen and half of your intestine. Thank the blessed Passions! For a moment there, I thought I was going to die for sure. --- Titian the Slow to his sidekick after a nasty encounter in the Badlands --- Not So Famous Last Words, by Chtal Vstrimon

This longbow arrow was originally invented by tskrang fishermen of the Serpent River. The fishermen would tie thin cords made of reed fibers to the arrows and haul in their catches. Later it was adopted by House Iskarat for battle. The fishing arrow's main purpose is to wound, and thus to render an opponent helpless. The arrow does regular damage when it initially hits. The trouble comes later when the target tries to extract the arrow from his body. If extracted by unskilled hands, the arrow can cause some serious damage. Nasty barbs along the shaft and tip open terrible wounds in the targets skin and internal organs. The pain of it can immobilize the toughest of fighters (Willpower (25) Test to be able to attempt a simple action). Before the wound or any damage points can be healed though, the arrow must be extracted. The person trying to remove the arrow must make a Dexterity (23) Test. In the event of a failure, the arrow is pulled out but the patient takes Step 18 damage. Type Fishing arrow Cost 10/20 arrows Attack test Damage modifier modifier None Short Range Medium Range According to bow type Long Range According to bow type

See Above According to bow type

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Hollow-tipped Arrows
A hollow-tipped arrow is the name for an extensive group of arrows. The arrow's main function is to serve as the relay medium for delivering a substance over large distances. There are two major types of hollow-tipped arrows: injectors and splashers. Injectors act as regular arrows in terms of attack and damage. Whenever they manage to go through a targets defenses, they inject the material carried inside the tip. Poisoned arrows are good examples of typical injectors. Splashers have a blunt tip. The tip itself is more brittle than the tip of a regular arrow and it is meant to break on impact, spraying the surrounding area with the substance inside. Splasher design inhibits aerodynamic performance, which is obvious on their range statistics. Type Injector hollowtipped arrow Splasher hollowtipped arrow Cost 10 sp/ single arrow 20 sp/ single arrow Attack test Damage modifier modifier None None Short Range -20 Medium Range -20 Long Range -20

-3 Steps

None

-30

-50

-50

Note: Arrow retrieval rules do not apply to hollow-tipped arrows. Below are several examples of common uses for injectors and splashers.

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Arrow of Pain

The first time these devious arrows were seen in action was when a Theran slaving expedition went too far into the depths of the Servos Jungle. Thinking the primitive Cathans were easy prey, they were led into an ambush by their guide. The result was devastating or impressive (depending on your point of view). From an expedition that numbered over a hundred, less than thirty Therans survived the attack. The Cathans used a simple yet effective weapon. The beauty of the pain arrow is that, besides the regular damage, it immobilizes most of its victims, forcing their companions to abandon the battle in order to help. Further more, usage of the arrow has a devastating effect on enemy morale. The secret of the pain arrow lies with a small insectoid Horror construct called the deep purple stinger.

Deep Purple Stingers

DEX: 3 STR:3 TOU:1 PER: 3 WIL:2 CHA:4 Initiative: 5 Number of attacks: 1 Attack: See below Damage: See below Physical Defense: 2 Spell Defense: 4 Social Defense: 3 Armor: 2 Mystic Armor: 0 Number of spell: NA Spellcasting: NA Effect: NA Death Rating: 4 Wound Threshold: 1 Unconsciousness rating: NA
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Knockdown: NA Combat Movement: 3 (see below) Full Movement: 3

Legend Points: 20 Equipment: None. Deep purple stingers (so called because of the color of their shell) live in small colonies of ten to thirty on high treetops. They range in size from 1-10 and cause no threat to the wary traveler (Perception (12) Test in order to spot a colony). However, if someone passes unaware beneath a colony tree, 1d6 stingers drop down (Attack Step 16). The target gets another Perception (10) Test to see if he has noticed the deep purple stingers. Now the target has 1 round to remove the deep purple stinger before it can inflict any harm. On the ground, the deep purple stinger is quite slow and poses no threat. If the target fails its tests however, the stinger's next action is to inject its deadliest weapon, a powerful nerve poison. The nerve poison causes immense pain (Willpower (14) to perform a simple action.). Once the venom is injected, it is almost impossible for the target to remove the deep purple stinger without help. Even after it is removed, the venom effect lingers for two to twenty minutes. If the deep purple stinger is not removed, it will begin the process of laying eggs inside the body of the unfortunate target. The eggs hatch after three weeks, and the young eat their way out of the hosts body. The Cathan of the Servos Jungle have managed to domesticate the deep purple stinger. They grow the young inside a special compartment in their hollowed arrows, feeding them on a diet of red meat. When the young reach a certain size, when they are big enough to comfortably fill the arrow tip, the Cathan consider them ready for use. The life expectancy of a well-treated deep purple stinger inside an arrow tip is one to three months Whenever a pain arrow hits its target, the deep purple stinger inside will sting its pray in the following one to two rounds. There is 1 in 6 chance though that the initial impact will kill the stinger inside. The arrow cannot be reused. Cost: The Cathan are not selling but rumors tell of a merchant from Urupa who managed to raise deep purple stingers outside the Servos. The rumors might be false but there have been some reports of these arrows being used near the coast area.

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Dragons Kiss
It burnsss us, It burnsss us! ---A strange little creature of unknown origin ---Echoes From Another World, by Chtal Vstrimon Name-givers knew the secret of making phosphorus even before the Scourge. The first known record tells of an elementalist by the Name of Gennih Ranb who tried to produce gold out of urine and came out with a substance that glows in the dark and ignites easily. Later advances improved the process by adding sand to the equation. Phosphorus can be purchased in most major Barsaivian cities. Dragon Kiss is an injector arrow filled with phosphorus. In order to utilize the arrows special feature, the archer must have a fire source ready nearby to ignite the phosphorus. The arrow must be shot in the next round or it is wasted. When a Dragon Kiss is released, it leaves behind a trail of light between the archer and target. It is, of course, not the best choice when discretion or subtlety is required. Besides the regular damage, the Dragon Kiss arrow causes Step 11 burning damage in the following 4 battle rounds. Cost: 50 sp/ arrow.

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Poison Arrow
Most people think that poison kills instantly. They are wrong. The effectiveness of the poison depends on many factors like health, size, age, and psychological state. Death comes within hours or even days when the target has big body mass. Actually, an adult troll could probably survive a cobra attack if allowed a full rest. For example, the following poisons cause the listed effects: Cobra and krait- paralytic venom. -Local symptoms -- burning, redness, swelling, superficial necrosis. -Earliest symptom - inability to keep eyes open. -Giddiness, lethargy, muscle weakness. -Spreading paralysis, causing difficulty in speaking and breathing, salivation, vomiting, and frothing around mouth. Viper - these secrete hemorrhagic venom (the victim bleeds uncontrollably). -Severe local symptoms -- intense pain, inflammation, oozing of blood. -Bleeding from mucous membrane of the mouth, anus, nose and under the skin. -Because of local damage to circulatory cells, venom spreads more slowly and has a slower action than the neurotoxins. -Vascular collapse - cold skin, rapid feeble pulse, dilated pupils insensitive to light, gradual loss of consciousness. Sea snakes - secrete venom and cause muscular pain. -Severe pain while moving neck, trunk and limbs. A few hours later, urine turns brown to black. So poisons are not lethal during a short combat but they do manage to neutralize most opponents. So how to keep your game balanced and still allow poisons? First, they have life expectancy in days. Second, arrows cannot be carried with poison inside them, as it is too risky for the carrier, and the venom becomes ineffective with exposure to the elements. The poison must be smeared minutes before the battle, and the arrows carried with extreme care.

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Acid Arrows
Dont shoot till you see the white of their eyes. ---General Dikato displaying tskrang anatomical ignorance during the Battle of Slippery Bank ---Not So Famous Last Words, by Chtal Vstrimon

A skilled professional is the only person capable of manufacturing acid splashers. The fletcher builds the tip around a special bulb that needs to be resilient enough to resist the corrosive effects of the material inside. It should be strong or flexible enough so that it wouldnt crack easily, yet must be brittle enough to break and splatter on strong impact. Considering the limitations, it is no great surprise that acid bulb manufacturing is a wellguarded secret. The acid affected area is 5 in radius around the impact. Any living creature found within the effected area suffers full damage. Physical armor protects against acid, but strong acid can eat its way through armor. In order to expand the area of effect, the bulb (and with it the arrow tip) must grow in diameter. Each extra foot subtracts an cumulative -2 to the Attack Test step. For example: Nearon Clear Sight, an archer, wants to hit a group of scorchers with a 6 radius acid arrow. His Attack Test step, after considering his talent, his warbow, and the range, is 16. After adding the acid arrow modifier, his Attack Step is 7: -6 for the extra radius -3 for using a splasher arrow. Each type of Acid has several properties: Living tissue Damage Step The amount of damage caused to living tissue for each full round of exposure.

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 Metal Damage points The amount of damage caused to Metal for each full round of exposure. Leather Damage points The amount of damage caused to Leather for each full round of exposure. Crystal Damage points The amount of damage caused to Crystal for each full round of exposure. Activity The time (in rounds) it takes for the acid to neutralize.

Once acid hits it will automatically cause damage gnawing through metal, wood or tissue. Acid has a continuing effect and will cause damage until the Activity time ends. Acid that touches exposed skin (or skin that is protected by regular clothing) causes Living tissue Damage Step. Body protection in the form of armor negates this damage completely, however the acid will still damage the armor itself reducing the armor rating. Each round of acid activity, reduce the armor rating by the appropriate substance damage points. An armor that reaches rating of 0 or lower is ruined beyond salvation, its owner starts receiving Living tissue Damage Step on the same round the armor rating goes beneath 0. Optional rule 1- Anyone not wearing a head visor has a 1/20 chance of getting hit in the eyes (being blinded immediately). Optional rule 2 Threaded magical armor is effected like regular armor but it is never ruined and can always be fixed. Example 1: Krum, a Troll Warrior is wearing a Ring Mail armor (Armor rating 6). During a battle with Theran infiltrators he was shot by Maidens Tears acid arrow. The Maidens Tears acid Metal Damage points number is 0 (Krum is wearing metal Armor). It means Maidens Tears is not corrosive enough to melt metal. Krum has nothing to fear and the Maidens Tears causes no damage. Example 2: The same archer hits Krum, this time with Sunlight Beetle acid. The acid Metal Damage points number is 1 and activity is 3 rounds. In the next three rounds Krum loses 3 points of his armor rating (1 each round). This leaves his ring mail with an armor rating of 3. Krum is still unhurt but he will need to see a weaponsmith soon. Example 3: The same archer (Who made it his life goal to arrange a meeting between Krum and Thystonius) hits Krum yet again, this time with The Dew of Dis acid arrow (Metal damage points of 3, activity - 5). In the first round after being hit Krum armor rating

22

drops from 3 to 0. On the next 4 rounds he would receive an automatic Living tissue damage step of 15. Krum however decides to spare a round and remove the armor before the acid touches skin, after which he attacks the annoying Theran. The following are examples of a few acids common to Barsaive. The cost is per quart (1 quart is enough for 16 arrows).

Maidens Tears
The Theran army uses it with special siege engines. Despite being produced in large quantities, the formula of its production remains a secret outside of Thera. There is a small market for it in southern Barsaive where Theran influence still lingers. Living tissue Damage Step 10 Metal Damage points 0 Leather Damage points 1 Crystal Damage points 0 Activity 6 Cost 100 sp

Sunlight Beetle Acid

The sunlight beetle, which lives in the Scol Mountains, uses a phosphorus substance to confuse its enemies. Extracted in large quantities, it has corrosive attributes. It takes more than 40 beetles to produce a single quart of acid. Since the beetles are quite rare, the acid cost is pretty high. Living tissue Damage Step 13 Metal Damage points 1 Leather Damage points 2 Crystal Damage points 0 Activity 3 Cost 450 sp

The Dew of Dis

This acid is produced by mixing the juice of two different flowers growing in the Wastes. One is called the Hour of Dis, and the other is called Diss Pleasure. While the Hour of Dis can be found on the fringes of the Wastes as far as Jerris, Diss Pleasure grows only near the center. Living tissue Damage Step 15 Metal Damage points 2

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 Leather Damage points 3 Crystal Damage points 1 Activity 5

True Acid
The Acid Elemental plane and the Base elemental plane are small universes that coexist on the opposite sides of the Elemental plane of water. Both are made of substances far too corrosive for a regular namegiver to exist in without some form of magical protection.

True acid comes from the elemental plane of Acid. It can be extracted in small quantities near Deaths Sea. Another option is summoning an acid elemental and forcing or convincing it to produce the substance. Like true air, true earth, true fire and true water, both true acid and true base can be extracted in small quantities on the material plane. Another option is summoning an acid or a base elemental and force/convince it to produce it. Treat Acid/Base elemental as water Elemental with an attitude (ED companion page 112). Producing a quart of true acid/base should be considered a full service. True acid is the only known acid that damages Mystic bonus at a rate of 1/activity round. Living tissue Damage Step 19 Metal Damage points 4 Leather Damage points 6 Crystal Damage points 2 Mystic Bonus Damage points - 1 Activity 5 Varies (according to GM judgment), but no less than 200 gp.

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Gas Arrows
Manfred, you stinking lamp of lard, that was the ugliest yet! It wasnt me boss, cross me heart! Sure! Oh by sweet Grons tits, no more beans for you! --- An ambush at Cara Fahd gone stale. --- Not So Famous Last Words, by Chtal Vstrimon

The gas arrow was introduced to Barsaive by Theran slavers. It is one of the safest ways to knock out an opponent from afar without the risk of damaging the goods. Some settlers in the southernmost provinces caught on to the trick and started using the same methods against the Therans -- with a nasty twist. The Therans used kulo gas that was meant to induce grogginess and sleep. The settlers used yellow root gas, meant to induce eternal sleep. Like acid arrows, only few specialists can produce gas arrows. The gas is kept in high pressure inside the tip bulb. After the gas is inserted, the bulb is sealed. If the bulb is broken the gas immediately breaks free. Some elementalists add a safety mechanism that gives a whistle (like a boiling pot on a stove) when the arrow bulb cracks. This gives the person carrying it about one round to clear off. Adding the safety mechanism costs 2 extra gold pieces per arrow. Unlike acid arrows, gas arrows vary in effective radius. Also unlike acid arrows, physical armor doesnt help prevent damage. Keep in mind that a gas arrow is a double-edged sword. The wrong wind direction can send your weapon back to you. The following attributes are presented for a few known gas arrows: Effect Radius - In feet, the size of the area covered by the gas cloud. Base Time - In rounds, the time it takes for the gas to disperse and lose effectiveness. The time factor is effected by weather Strong Wind - 1/3 the base time. Fog & Rain - the base time.
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 Cost.

Kulo
The kulo plant can be found in rain forests. The powder extracted from it has many uses, from painkillers to strong hallucinatory drugs. A certain Theran formula can cause it to become a tool for subduing enemies. -Effect: Causes dizziness and sleep. The target must make a Toughness (14) Test. An Average success means that the target will perform all actions at -3 steps. A Good success means there is no effect. A failure means that the target falls asleep for 3-30 rounds (unless woken by force; on waking he still suffers from the -3 effect). For every round spent in the kulo cloud, the target needs to make another Toughness (14) Test. The -3 effect lingers for 6 rounds after the target leaves the area affected by the gas cloud. -Radius - 10 -Base Time - 6 rounds -Cost 20 sp/arrow

Yellow Root Gas Arrow

This deadly powder is extracted from a yellow plant that grows along the banks of the Serpent River. The only person in Barsaive who sells them openly is a human named Fidalvo Long Shanks, an elementalist\weaponsmith that lives in Farram. His work doesnt come cheap, and the right contacts are needed if you want to approach him. Effect: Causes death. The target must make a Toughness (18) Test. Failure means the target suffers Step 20 damage; success means he only suffers from Step 8 damage. A character that falls unconscious keeps suffering from the damage until removed from the area of effect, or until dead. -Radius - 5 -Base Time - 8 rounds -Cost - 100 sp/arrow

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NEW MAGICAL ARROWS OF EARTHDAWN.

The following are arrows whose creation involves the use of magic (mainly elemental magic or blood magic). Despite having magical properties, these arrows require no thread attachment to activate their powers.

Shosaran Flight Arrows

All devotees of flight shooting are aware the distance records established by the Shosarans centuries ago remain unsurpassed, in spite of recent advances in bow manufacture. The Shosaran flight arrow construction remains a mystery, though the involvement of true air is a certainty. The maximum flight record set by Shosaran archers, shooting in the conventional manner, seems to have been at least 870 yards. Some say the arrows can fly to a distance of 950 yards. A troll adventurer Named Mickaiel Zamenhof recently returned from Parlainth with a huge stash of Shosaran flight arrows. His cousin in Bartertown, Kalev Zamenhof, is selling them, and making a fortune. Mickaiel is rumored to have gone back to Parlainth in search for more. Important Note: these arrows are specially designed to use with elven warbows. If used with any other type of bow, they lose all range bonuses. Gamemaster Note: A twisted game option: remember that items brought out of Parlainth sometimes carry nasty surprises (one in ten chance of an arrow being Horrortainted.) CP note: Flight arrows are not fictional, folks; the amazing range is based on true seventeenth century Turkish archers. <http://www.student.utwente.nl/~sagi/artikel/turkish/> Type Shosaran Flight Arrows Cost 70 sp each Attack test Damage modifier modifier +3 +3 Short Range 2-70 yards Medium Range 71-200 yards Long Range 201-900 yards

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Horror Harvesters
Some of the greatest battles are never reported. Victors have always dictated history, and losers stories usually remain untold. One such untold tale is the Last Stand of Melachim Odaya. It was the Time of Hiding. The elven court began its descent towards oblivion (1262 TH). As the walls of their wooden kaer began to collapse, not all the elves succumbed to Queen Alachias terrible plan. Some, like Melachim Odaya, chose to fight the Horrors to their last drop of blood, which they did literally. Odaya and his friends stood their ground for a year and a day, sacrificing their bodies to create terrible arrows for fighting the unstoppable enemy. At last only Melachim Odaya was left standing, ready to face his doom. But it is said that when the Horrors came to claim his body and soul they could find neither. The story itself is just the whisper of a rumor, carried by the wind to a lonely traveler. One thing is certain, though: at the place were once Odaya stood his last battle, now grows a huge white tree untouched by the corruption around it. Horror harvesters are longbow arrows charged with elven blood magic through a Dying Act (Magic: Manual of Mystic Secrets, p. 14). They add +4 to +16 steps to Attack and Damage Tests when used against a Horror of any kind. Starting with +4, each time they hit a Horror and are extracted without damage, they add +1 to their Attack and Damage step modifiers. Horror harvester arrows cost 2 strain points to shoot. A blood elf touching one of these arrows receives Step 23 shock damage. Horror harvesters are scattered around Barsaive. They are, of course, priceless. Type Cost Attack test Damage modifier modifier +4 to +16 +4 to + 16 Short Range According to bow type Medium Range According to bow type Long Range According to bow type

N/A Horror Harvesters

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Thorn Arrow
These arrow tips are made from the thorns of a blood elf, and the shaft is also interwoven with blood elf thorns. The Blood Wood warders protecting their borders specialize in manufacturing these arrows. There is no market for thorn arrows outside the Blood Wood: even if there were, the blood elves are not selling. For game purposes this arrow acts as a regular arrow. If used by the blood elf whose thorns adorn the shaft and tip, add +1 step to the Attack and Damage Tests. Type Thorn Arrow Cost N/A Attack test Damage modifier modifier +1 step for the elf whose thorn is used Short Range Medium Range According to bow type Long Range According to bow type

+1 step for According the elf to bow whose type thorn is used

Angekos Direction Finders

Ive been told you have finally made some real progress in your research. Im happy to learn the obscene sums I gave you were not totally wasted. Well, how far have you gone into making me an arrow that can seek Theran hearts? So far, my king, Ive managed to make an arrow that points to the south. Whats that got to do with anything? Well, Thera is in the south. I believe this is a good start, my lord. My lord? My lord! --- Conversation between King Varulus of Throal and Angeko the uninspired inventor. --- Not So Famous Last Words, by Chtal Vstrimon Angekos Direction Finders are iron-tipped arrows painted with arcane symbols. They weigh too much and the only way a person can hope to deal damage with them is to bash an opponent over the head. When tossed into the air, these arrows always fall facing south, a useful attribute for mapmakers and navigators. Direction arrows are reusable. They cost 70 silver each.

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Arrow of the Night

Arrow of the Night is a dark shaft that absorbs all light. It is an arrow that has the Arrow of the Night nethermancer spell anchored to it. Unlike the spell, the arrow is not consumed after it hits the target.

Type Arrow of the Night

Cost 70 sp/arrow

Attack test Damage modifier modifier None +8 Steps

Short Range According to bow type

Medium Range According to bow type

Long Range According to bow type

Rephy Arrows
These arrows are manufactured by elementalists using a mineral found in the Rephy dimension. These arrows add a nice 'twist' to archery. It all began when a wizard named Shamai of House Nisan stumbled upon an ancient (predating the Scourge) manuscript in the library of Throal, detailing the adventures of one Rephy Avihar in astral space. Avihar claimed to have stumbled upon an unknown netherworld he named Rephy dimension or Rephy space, which has multitudes of juncture points with physical space. Following Avihars steps, it took Shamai several years to locate the Rephy nether realm. He found an alternate world so unlike our own, it took him several more years to explore. None of the materials encountered were known on earth: even the laws of nature didnt apply. One of the most notable phenomena he encountered, and later reported in a detailed work, was the strange behavior of space, or more accurately the lack of it. Shamai discovered that distance between any two points on Rephy was relative to thought. It meant that anything on Rephy could be transported from one point to the other just by the power of thought alone. After several years of research, Shamai wrote his piece on the Rephy nether realm, discarded it and resumed his lifework (turning bird droppings into gold). His work lay aside, accumulating dust in the Great Library of Throal, until picked fifteen years later by Lukre Grime. Grime was not the great theorist Shamai was, but he was, among other things, a man of action. An elementalist by occupation, he figured he could use Shamais research for practical purposes. But it was finally his friend, an old archer adept Named Tholoriel Steady Arm, who gave him the answer. Together they created the Rephy archery talent and Rephy arrows. Rephy Archery/ Discipline: Archer 2 * Step: Rank + Dexterity Step Action: Yes

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Requires Karma: Yes * Requires a Rephy arrow to activate.

Strain: 1

This talent enables an archer to fire special arrows called Rephy arrows. When shot from a regular bow, this arrow leaves physical space and travels through two points in Rephy space, immediately reappearing in physical space. The archer uses his Rank + Dexterity Step for his attack test (instead of the missile weapons talent). Any target in a 360 degree radius may be targeted. Range modifiers dont apply for damage, because the arrow doesnt lose velocity between the point of entry to and its point of exit from Rephy space. Range modifiers still apply for the attack test. Cover modifiers apply only if they protect the target from all sides (not just from the side the archer is standing). Shooting a concealed target is done at -4 steps to the Attack Test. Shooting at a target not inside the archer's range of sight also subtracts -4 steps from the Attack Test (Yes, the Rephy skill allows an archer to shoot at targets behind his back, as well as targets behind corners). Example 1: Tholoriel Steady Arms party is fighting a band of Theran slavers. Unfortunately for the party, the Therans are comfortably located behind castle walls, shooting the party under the protection of full cover. Tholoriel, however, is able to see the arrow slits where the shots are coming from, and makes a good estimation of the Therans' positions on the wall. He uses his Rephy Archery skill against one of the Therans. He rolls against the Theran Physical Defense: his modifiers for this roll are -6 (-4 for shooting at concealed target, -2 for medium range). Tholoriel makes his test and shoots his arrow. The arrow disappears in midair, only to appear behind one of the Therans, its flight direction reversed, hitting the unfortunate slaver in the throat. Example 1: Khalem, an ork assassin, received an assignment to assassinate an upstart Travarian crime lord named Nebrasga by one of his rivals in Travar. Khalem has learned that Nebrasga goes on hunting trips with his friends on weekends, and decides to lay an ambush. Unfortunately, Nebrasga is always escorted by no less than twenty retainers and bodyguards. Furthermore, the fields around Travar support little vegetation, or very little vegetation, high enough to serve as a safe ambush site. However, Khalem has wisely invested in a Crow Sight blood charm. Before Nebrasga leaves the city, he manages to control one of the crime lords hunting hawks (he could have used any other bird, but Khalem likes a little irony). Four miles from the city, Khalem orders the bird to rise into the air. Sitting comfortably in his chair at home, he takes slow and careful aim with his great crossbow. His range for the Attack Test, considering the height of the hawk, is medium (-2 to the Attack Test). The GM decides to subtract another -2 steps for the Attack Test because the bird's sight is not fixed. Khalem makes the shot at -4 steps and scores an Armor-Defeating Hit. Nebrasga falls from his horse, and Khalem sends three more arrows his way just to stay on the safe side. The crime lord is slain before any of his stunned retainers can react, and our assassin didnt even leave his apartment.

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Type Rephy Arrows

Cost 120 sp/arrow

Attack test Damage modifier modifier Requires Rephy skill to shoot No range modifier for damage

Short Range According to bow type, applies to Attack Test only

Medium Range According to bow type, applies to Attack Test only

Long Range According to bow type, applies to Attack Test only

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THE ARROWS TABLE

Type Armor Piercer Cost 100sp / 15 bolts Attack test Damage modifier modifier +2 steps -2 to target's Physical Armor Targets Physical Armor Rating is halved +8 Steps Short Range According to bow type According to bow type Medium Range According to bow type According to bow type Long Range According to bow type According to bow type

Armor Piercer Alodihu

120 / Bolt

+2 steps

Arrow of the Night Arrow Whistle

70 sp/arrow 25/20 arrows

None

According to bow type According to bow type 2-40

According to bow type +50

According to bow type +50

-2 steps To Hit

Signaling - causes no Damage None

Blood Raven Arrows Longbow Blood Raven Arrows Short

50/20 arrows

None

+50 yards

+50 yards

60/20 arrows

None

None

2-40

+50 yards

+50 yards

20/20 Crusher arrows arrow, long/short bow

-2 step

+2 steps to anyone wearing leather armor or less +2 steps to anyone wearing leather armor or

-20

-20

-50

Crusher arrow, crossbow

40/20 arrows

-2 step

-20

-20

-20

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less Fishing arrow Forked Arrow 10/20 arrows 10/20 None See Above -1 step According to bow type According to bow type +50 yards According to bow type According to bow type +50 yards According to bow type According to bow type Griffin arrow, longbow and short bow According to bow type According to bow type -20

-1 Target Physical Armor Rating +3 steps

Griffin arrow, longbow and short bow Hornet arrow

15/single arrow

None

10/20 arrows

None

+1 step

According to bow type According to bow type -20

According to bow type According to bow type -20

N/A Horror Harvester s Injector hollowtipped arrow Rephy Arrows 10 sp/ single arrow 120 sp/arrow

+4 to +16

+4 to + 16

None

None

Requires Rephy skill to shoot

No range modifier for damage

According to bow type, applies to Attack Test only 2-70 yards

According to bow type, applies to Attack Test only 71-200 yards According to bow type

According to bow type, applies to Attack Test only 201-900 yards According to bow type

Shosaran Flight Arrows Spiraling Bolts

70 sp each

+3

+3

According to bow type, + 40sp /15 bolts 35/Bolt

+2 steps

None

According to bow type

Spiraling Bolts

+4 steps

None

According to bow

According to bow

According to bow

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Degalek Merhabi m Splasher hollowtipped arrow Tiger Hawk Eyes Whistling Arrow Wisteling Fire arrows 20 sp/ single arrow 70 sp each -3 Steps None

type

type

type

-30

-50

-50

None

None

According to bow type According to bow type According to bow type

According to bow type -20

According to bow type -50

60/20 arrows 70/20 arrows

-2 steps To Hit -2 steps To Hit

None

Fire causes additional step 4 damage.

-20

-50

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