Enchanted Realms Rulebook
Life
Life in this world consists of three types of spiritual kindling: Body, Mind and Spirit. And the word “life” as a game mechanic is not what we normally think, not even from a character viewpoint -- this is a fantasy world, after all. Ever creature, whether a human, an orc, a manticore, mimic, dragon, elemental, zombie or golem, has life as a game mechanic. The monster might be undead or animated by magical means, but all such creatures are alive by game definition.
This is defined by a detectable energy source called a “lifesong.” This is a series of auras that surround an entity which store the whole identity of the being, this includes one’s phylogenetic species, its morality, traits, skills, stats, magical buffs, curses and so on. When someone in Enchanted Realms says that persons has a beautiful aura, it’s a not just a new-age thing; it’s valid in this world. Thus, reading part of the lifesong information through psionics or magic is how powers like detect evil or know motivation work. It is also why saves protect a person in a fireball when everything around him or her combusts in flame. Invading magic or energy must overcome the prophylactic shielding of the lifesong -- and the save is how that is determined.
The lifesong is a core concept for how the rules work and why the game mechanics are written as they are.
Heredity
While on the subject of the lifesong, let’s briefly discuss the phylogenetic order mentioned above. All creatures are categorized into kingdoms which have shared traits in their lifesongs. The Bestiary is organized in this way, but it also helps the players to understand what can be affected by certain skills and magic. If a magical axiom spell targets only “animals” or only “arthropoids,” this allows one to know what can and cannot be affected. Also, it is how one can disguise oneself magically as something else; however, changing a lifesong, even for a short duration, requires is not a simple thing to do. Concealing or shrouding the mental parts of the lifesong is how magical mind-shielding or meta-physical skills like dark mind work. But also remember that what something looks like and what something truly is are two different particulars of the lifesong. This is why polymorph doesn“t grant special abilities of the assumed form -- such as a dire wolf cannot be charmed but a sorcerer becoming one by this axiom is still susceptible. It also explains why some morphing creatures don't heal when changing forms, which is common conjecture for fantasy RPGs.
Size Category
| Category | Term | Dimensions | Controlled Space |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tiny | Up to 15 inches; up to 20 pounds | ½ hex |
| 2 | Small | From 15 to 42 inches; from 20 to 75 pounds | 1 hex |
| 3 | Medium | From 42 inches to 7 feet; from 75 to 275 pounds | 1 hex |
| 4 | Large | From 7 to 10 feet; from 275 to 2400 pounds | 2 hexes |
| 5 | Huge | From 10 to 14 feet; from 2400 to 6000 pounds | 3 hexes |
| 6 | Giant | From 14 to 20 feet; from 6000 to 15,000 pounds | 7 hexes |
| 7 | Colossal | Special | Special |
Every creature has a size category. Many descriptions reference size categories to describe limitations or rules of contests should opponents be different in size. To intuitively understand what the numbers or words mean, note the descriptions below as well as understanding how a creature of a particular size fits on a hex map.
While it will rarely matter for the PC, the size of the attacker is a modifier of the attack. A PC might be affected by a stature axiom, making it necessary to an adjustment. The rule is that large creatures gain +1 to hit on all the dice in all their die pools. Huge creatures gain +2 to hit. Giant gain +3, and colossal gain +4.
Further for size being a factor, range weapons are more effective against larger targets. There is no difference for creatures who are medium-sized or smaller. However, firing a bow against a large creature grants a +1 bonus on all the d20s of the to-hit roll. Against huge-sized targets, ranges gains a +2 bonus for all d20s. The bonus is +3 when firing upon a giant-sized opponent. Lastly, anything colossal offers a +4 to hit on all d20s rolled.