The Tlocassans

Tlocassa is a small, out-of-the-way planet, which, due to its cloudy atmosphere, has remained relatively isolated in the galactic community for eons until recent times. Its citizens, a society of purple-skinned bipeds, shun most technology, but make up for such deficiencies through the use of powerful magic. Tlocassans believe their magic flows out of their religion, and most if not all Tlocassans are devout followers of Brömtre, the state religion. This faith has provided them with over a millennium of peace and happiness, though it has also depleted their military and halted any technological progress. Recent events, however, have begun to raise doubts among the populace about the very foundations of their beliefs and principles.

The intelligent inhabitants of Tlocassa are bipedal in physiology and physique, though there are some significant differences. The typical Tlocassan is between 5 and 6 feet tall, with no noticeable differences in height and weight between male and female Tlocassans. The typical Tlocassan matures quickly, being able to walk and comprehend language by the age of three months. The average Tlocassan lives to the age of 45, with the oldest surviving Tlocassans being about 55. Perhaps the most noticeable distinguishing characteristic of Tlocassans is the purplish tinge of their skin. This tinge varies from a light violet in some individuals (primarily those who live nearest the poles) to a dark royal purple in those who live nearest the equator. (This tinge is an environmental rather than a genetic factor; increased exposure to sunlight catalyzes the production of a hormone that affects the skin coloration.) The eyes of Tlocassans are blue, varying from a very light ice blue to a dark, almost black, blue. They tend to have slightly heavy frames, with large hands but slightly smaller facial features (eyes, noses and ears) than might be expected. Tlocassans tend to have light blonde hair, almost yellow. While male Tlocassans are able to grow facial hair, most often they are clean-shaven.

A visitor to Tlocassa would instantly note two things about Tlocassan society: their overwhelming partiality to the use of magic over the use of technology, and the almost universal devoutness of the Tlocassans to their Brömtre religion. As any Tlocassan will quickly explain, the former characteristic flows from the latter, as a central tenet of Brömtre is the shunning of technology in favor of magic. Tlocassans as a whole, and individually, are peaceful and patient, but will not look favorably on those who try to sway them from their beliefs. Technology in general – basically, anything electronic or more advanced – is considered to be "evil"; in fact, a common Tlocassan way to denigrate someone or something is to compare them to something technological. Doing so, however, is considered to be a severe insult, and, thus, Tlocassans will only do so rarely.

Tlocassan society is, generally, much more tactile-oriented than others. While others might say, "I see what you mean" or "I hear what you’re saying," Tlocassans commonly express understanding using words like "I feel". Furthermore, Tlocassans often will almost instantly gain a "feeling" about a person if they can actually touch them. When Tlocassans were introduced to such technological devices as hand-held communicators, they were not overly impressed, and still tend to avoid communications in any method other than direct palm-to-palm meetings.

Outside of the church that binds all of Tlocassa together, the familial unit is the central organizational institution of Tlocassans. Tlocassan women give birth to only one child at a time; in all of Tlocassan history, only one multiple birth (twins) has been recorded. Tlocassan families tend to have two or three children, and the children remain with the family until they are married, usually around age 12. Most marriages are arranged, although the idea of marriage for love is not unheard of. Incestuous relationships are forbidden. (This is based on Code #5 (see Religion, below), which indicates that "the relatives of both" bride and groom are present at a wedding. Because of that phrase, interpreters have determined that bride and groom should not be related.) Courtship is common, although brief (usually less than six months), even between couples in a pre-arranged marriage. It usually consists of exchanges of objects from nature (such as flowers) and the presentation of cantrip-like spells. The idea of divorce is a foreign concept, as Tlocassans believe that their spouses are chosen for them by fate, and to reject that selection would be a deep sin.

Tlocassans tend to spend much time with their family. For instance, all meals of the day (typically two or three) are eaten together. Typically, there is not much fanfare to these meals, except on special occasions (such as birthday celebrations, when additional guests, such as the neighbors, the local Tloka, etc., are invited). The typical Tlocassan fare is rather ordinary. However, for large feasts, such as on The Day of Noruël and Yurana, more elaborate meals are prepared. A common celebratory feast might consist of roasted Hredel with Rupleberry dressing, served along with some Reitz, a fermented frosty beverage. (Hredel is a large oxen-like beast. Some Hredel are used for transportion and pulling carts, but they are also raised by farmers for food. Rupleberries are small, sweet yellow or red berries that are found wild all over Tlocassa, typically on hillsides.)

Tlocassan naming conventions flow from their religion. All members of the same family will share a common last name. Females lose this last name upon marriage, when they assume the last name of their husband. The first name of Tlocassans indicates the day on which they were born, as each day of the three hundred and thirty-six day Tlocassan year is associated with two famous Tlocassans from history (one male, one female). These Tlocassan first names are varied, but female names always end in a vowel, while male names always end in a consonant.

Brömtre ties the planet together politically, even though the geographical structure of the planet separates Tlocassans into one hundred and fourteen loose "nations". Most people owe allegiance first to the religion, then to their family, and, only when pressed, will claim fealty to a particular country. And, as wars between nations have not occurred in 1200 years, the nation-system is nominal at best. Still, each nation does have its own reigning monarch who gets his or her position from the Church Leadership (the Szet Council). Governments are in charge of maintaining loose police forces in the nation to enforce the government’s laws, although crime is low because of the moral codes of the Church, and because magical detection spells are common enough that it would be difficult to "get away with" a crime. Wrongdoers found guilty by government courts are sentenced to community or church service, or imprisoned for terms commensurate with the nature of the crimes. There has been a recent push for the banishment of the most serious and recalcitrant criminals, now that a magical means for such exile has been developed. As of yet, that option has not been entertained. The religious codes are upheld by separate church courts, see the "Religion" section for details.

The government also oversees the guild system, making sure that fair values are charged for goods and services. Finally, each nation’s government maintains a small standing army, mostly for show. (Different nations specialize in different troops; for example, Nyimbo’s rangers typically win planetary archery tournaments, while no nation’s cavalry could hope to out-perform that of Grazil.)

Tlocassan society is dominated by its religion. Tlocassan historians tell us that the planet was, a millennia or two ago, much more technological than it is now, but also in much more disarray. Crime was rampant, wars commonplace, disease abundant, and corruption omnipresent. Then, 1239 years ago, in the small town of Mahil, in central Drazic, a brother and a sister, twins, were born. They were named Noruël (Nor – oo – EL) and Yurana (Yoo-RAH – nah). As they grew, these two siblings performed what many saw as great miracles, and brought a message of faith in a philosophy called Brömtre (BRAWM – treh), which, loosely translated, means "The Way". Noruël and Yurana were hailed as prophets, and, through a peaceful yet strident conversion process, over the next few centuries the entire planet was converted to their message and a strong belief in Brömtre. The twins’ greatest – and final – act, known as the Kijra (Keej – RAH), was to modify the entire Tlocassan atmosphere to its present state through the use of a very powerful spell. The atmosphere became a very cloudy orange, obscuring vision of the universe to those on its surface and almost totally hiding the planet’s surface from those looking down (or electronically scanning) through it. The atmospheric change had an immediate effect on Tlocassan society, as the new state was completely non-conducive to the use of electronic or technological equipment. The Tlocassans who wished to determine the nature of the atmosphere were unable to do so: all of the technical equipment they would use to perform such an analysis was now inoperable. After an additional hundred years of turmoil as citizens adapted away from technology and learned to harness their magical abilities, Tlocassan society settled into the pattern which continued for the next millenia or so, up until the Krembla incident (see Off-World Policy).

Brömtre in general, and the Kijra, specifically, has been a mixed blessing for the Tlocassans. For one thousand years after the Kijra, the planet has known only peace, and, if not complete prosperity, at least generalized happiness among the entire population. Indeed, this atmosphere has staved off many invasions in the past, as would-be colonizers have either passed by the planet or suffered equipment failure attempting to penetrate through the cloud barrier. However, the atmospheric changes permanently prevented any further development of technological devices, and those that were there have been relegated to non-working relics in universities and museums. While some have advocated that these technological "monstrosities" be destroyed outright, others have explained that only by viewing the evils of machinery can one understand the beauty of Brömtre.

The Codes of Brömtre, written by the prophets and church founders over 1000 years ago, covers all the central tenets of the religion. It has been modified on occasion by a unanimous decision of the Szets, but for the most part it has remained indistinguishable from its original form. All followers of Brömtre are provided, as part of the Rüngleid (ROONG-leed) ceremony, with a copy of the codes. Copies of the codes are among the most treasured possessions of a Tlocassan, and many are very ornamental (illuminated manuscripts using gold rather than ink, etc.) Oaths sworn by followers of Brömtre holding these codes are considered inviolate. Furthermore, the "Recitation of the Code of Brömtre" forms the central portion of the midday Bvere (see below) ceremony, and all followers are expected to know the code by heart by the time they reach age 8.

The codes themselves are not completely known to those outside of the religion, however, some are more obvious. There are 13 rules of Brömtre, which are listed below. (Of these, the first eight were written by the Twin Prophets, the remaining were added over the course of the next 1,000 years by the Szet Council, with the most recent addition (the 13^th code) coming only within the past 30 years.) Interpretation of this text is a contentious issue, however, and the Church leadership has spent centuries debating the exact nature of the meanings of some of the codes.

(8) The spirit of Brömtre possesses many forms, but a true follower worships the spirit and not the form. [Note: Code interpreters have taken this to mean that there is no central deity of the religion.]

Those accused of serious infractions of the Code of Brömtre are summoned before ad-hoc church courts composed of no less than 5 other followers of Brömtre and presided over by a church official of at least the Brastrat (see below) ranking. Unlike governmental regulations, crimes against the church or its codes may face the severe penalty of "dismissal," permanent exclusion from the rites, services, and protection of the church. Such criminals are branded on the left cheek (a white scar is left behind), and, while these individuals are still allowed to function in Tlocassan society, they spend most of their lives as social pariahs. They are not allowed to enter into any Trömjat, and can no longer be considered a "follower." Once dismissed, there is no chance of reconciliation with the church. Dismissal is an exceptionally harsh, but incredibly rare, punishment. There is a high rate of suicide among the dismissed.

Every city and town on Tlocassa has at least one Trömjat (TROHM-jat), or temple, at or near its center. Each day during the hour when the sun is above the Central Trömjat, built on the birthplace in Mahil of Noruël and Yurana, all work ceases as every Tlocassan attends Midday Bvere (BVEER) in their local Trömjat. If Tlocassans are not able to attend Bvere because of their current location, they will still stop whatever they are doing and silently pray for one hour, usually while grasping and staring at the Feurlo, (FYOOR-law) a small wooden disk with a picture of a sunrise engraved on one side, and a carving of the faces of Noruël and Yurana on the other. Followers of Brömtre believe that it is through such prayer that they are "nourished" by Nature, which provides them with enough energy (both physical and magical) to perform whatever tasks are required of them for the next 24 hours.

The church is hierarchical, with one central council of 13 Szets (Zehts) meeting at times at the Central Trömjat to determine church policy. (The council votes in one of their members to be the Great Szet, the leader of the church. Once appointed, the Great Szet holds this position for life.) These church policies are then distributed downward through various layers of the church structure (144 Fleurno (FLOOR-naw) report to the Szets; each Fleurno oversees 13 Or-brastrats (OR BRAHS–rahts), who each in turn oversee 13 Brastrats (BRAHS-rahts), each of whom oversee 13 Tlokas (tuh-LO-kuhs). Each Tloka oversees the operations of a particular Trömjat.

The church is fundamental to most of the important events in a Tlocassan’s life, from birth to death. Brömtre continues to be a universal religion among Tlocassans, with all Tlocassans undergoing the Rüngleid ceremony within 3 months of birth. (At this ceremony, they are brought to the village Trömjat, touched by the Tloka and another church official (usually a Trömjatmage), blessed by a magical spell, and provided with a copy of the Codes of Brömtre.) Marriage ceremonies take place in the local Tromjat of the bride. The relatives of both are invited to witness the service, as the officiating Tloka sanctifies the bonds. The formal procedure is rather elaborate, and contains such elements as the groom carrying the bride one way over a pool of water, followed by the bride carrying the groom the other way. (Since males and females are typically built about the same, this isn’t difficult for either.) At the end of the ceremony, the witnesses often are invited to cast spells (of a restorative and/or celebratory nature) at the bride and groom. Upon the death of a follower of Brömtre, if resurrection is not successful, a funeral ceremony is held, attended by the friends and family of the deceased, as well as other members of the local Bvere congregation. A church officiant, usually, though not always, a Tloka, oversees the rite, usually sermonizing on the 9^th Code of Brömtre. The ceremony is held is the most natural setting available – a clearing, field of flowers, grove, hilltop, etc. There, the body is cremated, and the ashes are given to the next of kin, who then sprinkles them over a natural setting appropriate to the deceased (lakes, rivers or fields are most often used.) As can clearly be seen, the religion is essential to Tlocassan existence.

However, recent events over the past 200 years or so have caused some divisions among both the population as a whole and the Szet council. Debate has raged over such things as the need to adhere so strictly to the original doctrines (particularly the shunning of technology) the place of Tlocassans in the universe, and the stance towards other races (see Off-World Policy, below). For the most part, the Szet council has taken an official hard-line stance towards these matters, insisting upon strict adherence to all doctrines, but this has become difficult to enforce, particularly as Tlocassans travel off the planet and away from the Tlocassan atmosphere and religious centers.

Brömtre has also been making some inroads among other races in the galaxy. Tlocassan missionaries have been actively converting those they meet to the beliefs of Brömtre, to varying degrees of success. Doing so, however, is challenging, and these missionaries have often had to "modify" the codes and even the Rüngleid ceremony in some ways to accommodate the races being converted or the situation on the ground. The Szet council seems for the moment to be allowing these modifications to occur without comment, so long as they are not flaunted publicly on Tlocassa proper.

Being shielded for eons by its atmosphere, and having not fought a serious internal war in over a millennium, the military forces of Tlocassa leave much to be desired. The leadership is schooled, but has no practical experience in war. Most of their "battle" experience is a result of regional, national, and international tournaments in which representatives of various nations compete in challenges of skill. The troops themselves are small in number, (though the Church could field a large militia if needed), and are both ill trained and inexperienced. Technologically, of course, they have not advanced beyond rudimentary hand-held short and long-range weapons, though their armies are populated with and supplied by magicians. The magical nature of the weapons does make up for the lack of training on the wielder’s part, to some extent, boosting accuracy and damage, or, in rare cases, causing successful hits by the weapons to inflict unique magical effects (e.g. paralysis, burning, etc.).

In addition to the forces maintained by each nation, the church also maintains and trains its own elite forces, which are used primarily to guard the church’s representatives as they travel off-world. In addition to being better trained and equipped (though still suffering the same lack of experience as national militias), the elite church troops boasts a stronger magical presence, and most of the members of the Norud (Nor – OOD), as it is called, are said to be able to cast spells unknown to any other citizen of Tlocassa. It is said that the Norud in particular has been gearing up, trying to learn as much as possible about the tactics of other races’ militaries. Recently, the church has attempted to integrate some Norud members into the militaries of other planets so that the Tlocassans can gain some real military experience.

Over one thousand years ago, Tlocassa was a technologically advanced society, capable of creating weapons of mass destruction, supersonic transportation, computers, etc. While the knowledge of this technology is still studied (at a theoreticaly level only) by some, Brömtre strictly forbids the use of technology, and all of the devices of years past have either deteriorated beyond recognition or have been relegated to curiosity museums. To outsiders, the Tlocassans might seem backward. This is not true – Tlocassans are familiar with advanced scientific principles and can comprehend levels of technology much higher than they use. They have simply chosen to forgo the technology route in their daily lives. Furthermore, their magic is powerful and allows them to do many of the tasks that technology might accomplish for them, so many see no reason to waste their energies in the unnatural creation or employment of devices that are prone to breakage and disrepair.

Magic is prevalent in the life of Tlocassans from the day they are born. For example, one of the simplest and earliest spells that a Tlocassan learns is the "purify" spell, which will restore any food source, making even a decaying side of Hredel (Hredel being an ox-like mammal commonly raised on Tlocassan farms) edible. (Hence Tlocassans feel there is no need for refrigeration, etc.) Different versions of the purify spell also serve to clean dishes, sweep floors, etc. Young Tlocassans are often scolded by their parents if they choose to fix their beds using manual means rather than by casting the purify spell.

Most Tlocassans have high magical potential, yet they find that they are unable to perform a great amount of spells unless they spend the sacred hour of the Tlocassan day in prayer. Additionally, some Tlocassan spells require objects created from the plants grown in the sacred groves outside of the Central Trömjat in order for the spell to operate correctly.

Every Tlocassan has magical potential, although the degree to which it is exhibited differs from individual to individual. Some use it simply to aid them in their daily tasks, while others depend on their spells for their livelihood. Like so much else on Tlocassa, magic is taught under the auspices of the church. New spells are constantly being researched, particularly by the Trömjatmages, church workers who have devoted their lives to the pursuit of new magic. While the particulars of a few powerful spells are kept from the populace, most are disseminated quickly throughout the populace, with those who can perform a spell learning it with ease. To manage this dispersion of knowledge, local Tlokas often serve either as teachers or as overseers of teachers to all who worship at their Trömjat. Upon mastering a spell, Tlocassans often display their knowledge by wearing emblems on their clothing or jewelry. (Each spell has a particular color associated with that spell.)

Tlocassan magic can be said to have several branches or emphases, though Tlocassans possess spells from one, several, or all branches. One branch involves spells that purify and cleanse, both the environment and the body and soul. Spells here include the purify spell described above, spells that cure wounds and disease, spells meant to pacify one’s emotional state, tire one’s body and even, at the highest levels, rejoin souls to their bodies. A second branch of Tlocassan magic includes spells that enhance the effects of items, including weapons, wielded. A third branch allows for divination-type spells, allowing users to determine past events, but not the future. Finally, there is one spell, known but to a few Tlocassans who have devoted their lives to Brömtre and the use of this spell. This is the "Arch of Brömtre" spell, which has allowed the Tlocassans to explore the galaxy without the use of spacecraft.

SPELLS
Spell Name (Base Level) Prerequisite(s) (if applicable)	Description	Battery Cost (Minimum)
Spells of Tlocassan Origin
Arch of Brömtre (12) Prerequisite: Magical Genius merit, True Faith merit, Endurance of at least 16.	Perhaps the most rare and physically draining spell in the entire Tlocassan grimoire, the Arch of Brömtre allows the caster to open up a one-way portal between a fixed location, the Central Trömjat on Tlocassa, and another, unfixed location anywhere in the galaxy. To cast the spell, the caster must be able to describe the coordinates of the unfixed location to a GM (GM’s may modify the spell roll based on this description), or must be physically at that location. The GM will make the spell roll, determining the result in secret – in some cases, a portal will appear, however, the portal may not connect the correct two intergalactic locations. The Arch will be opened for a period of time in minutes equal to the amount of battery points placed into the spell (minimum of 15), or it will remain open until that number of characters moves through the portal, whichever comes first (For the purposes of this spell, assume that a fully laden pack animal will take one minute to move through the Arch). Casting this spell is incredibly draining to the caster: after the Arch closes, the caster’s statistics are all reduced to 1. The caster will be unable to perform most tasks (including walking or even eating, although talking is possible for brief periods of time) for a period of days after the casting of the spell equal to the amount of individuals that pass through the portal. (In the past, these side effects were much worse, and lasted for much longer; recent spell modifications have lessened, but not completely negated, this effect.) Note that when the spell is cast, characters on one side of the portal can not view the other side of the portal. (Many of the earliest Arches on Tlocassa were misdirected, and the travelers through these gates found themselves transported into the vacuum of space.)	15 (see desc- ription)
Blessings of Brömtre (9) Requires material component (Jessup’s unguent)	This spell was developed by the Tlocassan armies, and was used immediately before tournaments to improve the quality of items used in these engagements. Successfully casting this spell on a target item will temporarily improve either the bonus to AS, bonus to DS, or construction points of that item for a period of minutes (or rounds) equal to the spell roll. The caster determines which particular effect is improved. The effect is improved numerically by the amount of battery points placed into the spell, minus 3. (Thus, if seven battery points are placed into the spell, a caster may choose to improve a weapon’s AS by 7-3 = 4 points.) To cast this spell, the caster must first anoint the item with 2 ounces of Jessup’s unguent.	3 (see desc- ription)
Fortitude of the Prophets (9) Prerequisite: Blessings of Brömtre (14)	To cast this spell, the object must be brought into a Trömjat or other Brömtre-sanctified location. After laying the object on an altar (objects must therefore be able to fit on the altar), the caster will begin a series of chants and gesticulations. If the spell is successfully cast, a bright red light will immerse the object for one minute, after which, the object will be permanently magically enchanted. The exact effect of the enchantment is determined by a GM, but will depend on the nature of the object, the success of the spell roll, and the amount of battery points placed into the spell. It is common for the spell effect to be a simple addition to the construction points, or the bonus to AS or DS that an object gives; however, in rare circumstances, enchanted objects may receive unusual effects. If the spell roll fails, the object enchanted is prevented from ever being further enchanted by any caster of this spell. Furthermore, if an item has been enchanted by this spell, the target spell roll required is lowered by two for each enchantment on the item.	(see desc- ription)
Guidance of the Prophets (12) Requires the Acute Touch merit. Requires material component (fruëlynn)	Casting this divination spell requires the caster to undergo an elaborate ritual, touching the target object on no less than 15 occasions while chanting prayers and burning 3 ounces of the Tlocassan herb fruëlynn. When performed correctly (and a successful skill roll is made), the spell provides information to the caster about an object’s history. (It does not indicate anything about future events.) The response of the prophets is not always quick, and characters, at times, have not received answers to the questions for up to two hours after the casting of the spell. Still, the spell has been used by Tlocassans for some time to determine such things as causes of death, innocence or guilt of criminals, and whether or not a particular individual was at a location within the past 24 hours.	5
Healing Winds (8) Prerequisite: Restoration of the Body (14)	A rare Tlocassan spell, the Healing Winds are summoned forth by a caster to heal the wounds of all living beings within a 20 foot radius of the caster. The winds, sparkling with flashes of purple, gold, and green, surround the bodies of those in the area, restoring an amount of life points to each equal to the spell roll of the caster. Unlike Restoration of the Body, this spell does not discriminate between followers of Brömtre and non-followers, and it works upon Stelik. To cast this spell, the caster must concentrate/pray for two minutes. If cast in combat, the caster is unable to do anything but concentrate for one round, and will be able to cast the spell on the following round.	6
Noruël’s Warming (15)	Tlocassans originally developed this spell for heating food, creating hot water, or heating metal to make it flexible when creating items. Casting this spell will cause a non-living metal object touched by the caster no larger than 1 cubic foot in volume to radiate intense heat. The object will heat slowly – raising about 20^oF per minute, until it reaches a temperature of 400^oF. Once the object has reached this maximum temperature, it will remain at this temperature for an amount of minutes equal to the spell roll. If any character touches the object once it is hotter than 150^oF, they will sustain a burn, taking two points of damage, and having a 2 in 6 chance of receiving a scar in the place touched. Flammable objects that touch this object have a 2 in 6 chance of igniting for every minute they are in contact with the object.	3
Pacification of the Spirit (12) Prerequisite: Purify (16)	Successfully casting this spell allows the caster to immediately engage in a charm-type mental combat with a target character or NPC. During the mental combat, the caster’s Mental Prowess is increased by an amount equal to the spell roll. During this combat, the target may fight back using any means at his or her disposal, including fleeing. Once the target’s willpower is lowered to zero or less, however, the character will be pacified – any commands given to that character through other charm-type mental commands will be permanently removed, and any emotions (whether induced by charms, artistic expressions, or any other means) will be removed. The target will feel "at peace" for a period of minutes (or rounds, if in combat) equal to the amount of battery points placed into the spell at the beginning of combat. Note that the mental combat this spell initiates does not allow the caster to issue any orders to the target; it simply placates the target character, preventing them from acting violently for the period of time that character is "at peace". (Such characters will be able to defend themselves during this period of time using whatever means they desire; however, they will be unable to take any offensive actions in combat during this period.)	2 (see desc- ription)
Purification of the Body (10) Prerequisite: Restoration of the Body (12)	To cast this spell, a caster must touch the target living being the spell is being cast on. If successfully cast, the target’s body will glow white for 10 minutes, during which any one particular disease or poison (of the caster’s choosing) will be removed from that target’s system. Only one such spell may be cast on a particular target at a time: attempting to cast a second such spell on the target while the first is still operating will immediately cancel both spells! For followers of Brömtre, this spell will, in addition, restore two life points to the targeted character as soon as the spell is cast.	4
Purification of the Soul (10) Prerequisite: Purification of the Body (14)	This rare Tlocassan spell can be used to exorcise agents that have taken control of an individual’s mind, body and/or soul. Casting this spell requires a great deal of time: a special ceremony must be performed, lasting for approximately 15 minutes. (A GM, who may modify the skill roll based on the circumstances, must attend the ceremony.) When successfully cast, the spell will remove the agent from the body. Depending on the spell roll made, the agent may be permanently killed, banished from the area, or the agent may attempt to re-possess another body taking part in the ceremony (under no circumstances, however, may the agent immediately re-take the body from which it was exorcised.) Please note that this spell does not counteract charm-type mental attacks.	8
Purify (16)	This is the most rudimentary of Tlocassan spells, and one which all Tlocassan mages possess. A successful spell roll (only one attempt is permitted per target object) will restore any food or drink source to an edible condition, removing any poisons, toxins, biological contaminants, or other sources of contamination from the object. Note that spell rolls are subject to GM modification depending on the nature of the contaminated object. A successfully cast spell will restore up to three servings of food or drink.	1
Restoration of the Body (12) Prerequisite: Purify (16)	Tlocassans have developed this healing spell to compensate for the lack of medical technologies on their planet. Casting this spell requires that casters touch the target living being (If a target has less than zero life points, the spell has no effect on the character.) that they are trying to cure, and that they maintain concentration for one minute (or round, if in combat). Successfully casting this spell will cause the caster’s hands to glow white for a period of one minute (or round, if in combat), during which the target will be healed. If the target is a follower of Brömtre, the target will be restored an amount of points equal to the spell roll; if the target is not a follower, the target will receive a number of points equal to half the spell roll (round up). If the target is Stelik, only two points may be restored under any circumstances, and only if the spell roll succeeds. This spell may only be cast once per hour per target by a given caster, and it does not remove the source of injury; it simply removes some or all of the damage caused to that point by the source. (For example, if a character has been shot with a poison arrow, doing 3 points of damage immediately, and one point of damage for every round afterwards, the spell will remove damage done by both the arrow and the poison, but it will not remove the arrow, nor will it prevent the poison from continuing to take away further life points.)	2
Restoration of Vision (10) Prerequisite: Restoration of the Body (12)	This spell may be cast on one target character within 10 feet of the caster. Successfully casting the spell will restore lost sight for that character, whether that loss is due to blindness, poor vision, sensitive eyes, or any other cause. (The spell is completely ineffective against any character who has not had their vision impaired.) Characters who have had their vision restored will be able to see as if they had normal vision. The practical effect of this spell is to temporarily raise the accuracy of the target by the amount it has been lowered by the impairment (for example, by 25 for a character affected by blindness.) The spell’s duration is not permanent; it will only last for an amount of minutes (or rounds, if in combat) equal to the successful spell roll. This spell may only be attempted once every eight hours on a particular target.	3
Reunification of the Body and Soul (11) Prerequisites: Spirit Awareness merit, Restoration of the Body (15)	This spell may be cast on any one corpse, so long as at least 51% of that corpse is present in one cohesive piece. The spell level is modified as follows: Corpse dead one hour to eight hours: -2 Corpse dead over eight hours: -6 Corpse is of a follower of Brömtre: +2 Only two attempts at this spell may be made per caster per day, and casters may not resurrect more than one character per day. When successfully cast, the air around the body begins to glisten green, gold, and white. If the soul (i.e. the player) is willing to be re-joined to the body, the character is resurrected (unless that character has died already on two separate occasions) and will have one life point. Characters that have been resurrected in this manner will suffer as if they had the flaw amnesia for a period of 2 hours following their resurrection. Character’s bodies resurrected in this fashion will suffer the flaws the characters had before their death, and may have additional flaws (GM determination) based on the condition of their corpse at the time this spell was cast.	5
Wearying of the Spirit (13)	In order to cast this spell, the caster must concentrate for one minute (or one complete round) prior to casting the spell. Successfully casting the spell will affect all target characters or NPC’s within a ten-foot radius of the caster, including the caster. All such characters will temporarily lose an amount of endurance points equal to the amount of magical battery points placed into this spell on top of the base battery cost of the spell. (E.g. Freya Blomgrup casts this spell, placing 5 battery points into the spell. Her spell roll is a 9, meaning that all characters within a 10’ radius of Freya will immediately lose 3 (5 – the 2 base points = 3) points of endurance.)	2 (see desc- ription)
Yurana’s Cleansing (10) Prerequisite: Purify (16)	This common Tlocassan spell is used by the Tlocassans to restore order and cleanliness to a given target non-sentient object. The amount of battery points needed for the spell to work will depend upon the size of the target object: 5 square feet or less – 1 point 5-20 square feet – 2 points 20-70 square feet – 4 points 70-150 square feet – 6 points A successful spell roll creates a caster-defined effect (invisible servants, cleansing wind and rain, light of purity, etc.) The spell will affect the target by removing from it any grime, dirt, signs of wear (targeting an item that needs repair will restore one construction point to it; further cleansing spells will not add to that effect), etc. The particular caster-designed effect may have no in-game effect aside from the cleansing described above.	(see desc- ription)

Art is highly respected by Tlocassan society. Nobles, and, especially, the church, serve as financial patrons to many artisans. Both sets of patrons often commission artists to depict (either through song, literature, paint, sculpture or architecture) events from the past and illustrate the greatness of the patron institution. Sometimes, such propagandizing is not as predominant, and in such works of art, the expression of Tlocassan talent surely rivals those of other great civilizations.

For the masses, the primary visible forms of artistic expression are the architecture of the local Trömjat (generations of workers often spend their lives in the construction of these buildings) and the theatrical presentations of local and traveling troupes. These theatrical guilds typically charge a few brazips admission for an evening’s entertainment, consisting usually of some form of circus acts combined with a play or two. These plays typically tell stories of the past, often revolving around the lives of Noruël and Yurana, or illustrating tales that the Great Prophets told.

Tlocassans do not have any sports per se, but military pageants (archery competitions, cavalry races, etc.) often attract large crowds. Additionally, many Tlocassans are great lovers of games of chance and strategy. Although participation in gambling is officially forbidden by the tenets of Brömtre, (it being seen as a violation of the fourth code,) many Trömjats organize their own gaming nights for the entertainment of the local populace.

Tlocassan economics can be seen as a combination of nascent capitalism and socialism. Local and national governments do their best (which is not very good) at overseeing that every citizen is employed at a useful task, and that goods and services are offered at rates that all can afford. Under this system, however, most Tlocassans (except for the nobles and the Szets and Fleurnos of the Church) are relatively poor, though few if any are truly indigent.

Since most Tlocassans have no formal education, most serve as farmers, woodsmen, hunters, smiths, animal trainers, merchants, etc., and gain their education from their parents and through guild-sponsored "apprenticeship" programs. Elementary education is provided to the small number of Tlocassans who make up the "middle" class, while nobility and some deserving students are admitted to larger Theological Seminaries, where most of the research, magical and otherwise, of the planet is undertaken. Graduates from such institutions typically gain employment in the upper echelons of the church. The church, however, through its bureaucracies, etc., employees approximately one third of the Tlocassan working population (those between the ages of 20 and 55).

As an emerging capitalistic economy, there are no large business corporations on Tlocassa. Most "businesses" are family or individually owned, trading locally. Interplanetary trade is a new phenomenon, and one which, to date, has only been engaged in on a very small basis by the church hierarchy or by the few merchants with connections to the Szet council. (Most other races would not even consider dealings with the Tlocassans as "trade" but simply as an exchange of gifts. For example, a Tlocassan delegation on Ghurgha presented the Ogaru with a bolt of cloth, a cask of Tlocassan reitz (a mildly alcoholic beverage) and a crate of various gems from the Tlocassan planet. While these objects were worth quite a bit on Tlocassa, the Tlocassans received only room and board for a six-month period for them.) There are various guilds set up by merchants, smiths, etc., that begin to resemble corporations or labor unions, but these are small, very factional, and don’t as of yet represent a great presence in the typical Tlocassan lifestyle.

Up until approximately 300 years ago, Tlocassan economics was barter-based. Several nations, however, introduced national currencies, and this idea took hold and spread over the entire planet. With the discovery of other worlds, the church pressed for one worldwide currency among all Tlocassans, the brazip (BRAH-zeep), which has become the standard unit of currency. Brazips come in only one denomination, a thick single bronze octagonal coin; although there are four different designs in use at the present time, all are considered to be of equal value.

As a combined result of their remote location, the protection of their atmosphere as well as some incredibly good luck, for most of their history, Tlocassans believed that they were the lone intelligent race in their universe. Indeed, this belief was a foundation upon which Brömtre rested. Thus, the Krembla incident (described below) was a major shock to the planet, and one that seems to have altered Tlocassan history immeasurably.

The Krembla incident: Two hundred and thirty-nine years ago, a Thish Wan spaceship was exploring the Tlocassan sector of the universe. The crew of the ship sent an exploratory shuttle into the Tlocassan atmosphere. Immediately, the ship began to malfunction as the atmosphere interfered with ship instrumentation, and the ship crashed on the planet’s surface, outside the city of Krembla on the isle nation of Vreda. Local authorities, as well as the church, immediately investigated the craft. The pilot and crew had perished, and most of the ship was destroyed, but recovery teams were able to find, among other things, some navigational charts, pinpointing the locations of other inhabited planets.

The Krembla incident had two immediate and profound impacts upon Tlocassan society. First, it shattered the belief that the Tlocassans were alone in the universe, forcing many to question (for the first time) the tenets of Brömtre, and second, it provided the Tlocassan church with the locations of other races.

With the recent discovery of other worlds out there, Tlocassan society, or at least the hierarchy of the church, have been incredibly interested in space travel. As their religion forbids the building of spaceships (and besides, the atmosphere would interfere with electronics), most of the research has gone into magical teleportation gates. About one hundred and twenty years ago, the Great Szet developed a very costly, very draining spell that briefly opens up a Portal to other planets. Since that time, slightly more than fifteen portals have been successfully opened (there were many, many failures), allowing missionaries, diplomats, and others to visit other worlds. It is through these visits that knowledge of the other planets and civilization has been increased and disseminated to the Tlocassan population. (Many Tlocassans, however, are unable to fully understand the descriptions brought back unless something tactile – an item belonging to a foreign race, for example – is brought back as well. In fact, many so-called "missionaries" have been inadvertently accused of thievery when attempting to do just that.) One group which returned from a mission to the Jannsky Mining Colony, returned with two non-Tlocassans. This incident was the first (and, to date, the only) visit to Tlocassa by aliens, a Clarin named Arryn Orator Prime, and an Ogaru named Dag Hagro. Both of these individuals went on to live long and productive lives on Tlocassa, and became converts to Brömtre. They also became the closest things to "celebrities" that Tlocassa has ever known, and their readiness to talk to the inquisitive Tlocassans did much to improve the general populace’s willingness to continue the exploration of the nearby solar systems through portal missions.

Officially, all of these trips have been undertaken in the hopes of converting the citizens of other planets to Brömtre. Unofficially, however, the church hierarchy has been split into four different camps, each with their own additional motivation for sponsoring these trips. All missionaries to other planets have the stated purpose of expanding the religion to other worlds and races. Most Arch-Travelers, however, have other objectives as well. Some view their cause as the bringing of the principles of, if not necessarily the belief in, Brömtre to all, extending peace and the reverie of Nature to the warring factions of the universe. Others seek to form or expand trade agreements where possible, realizing, of course, that most "unnatural" objects will be forbidden on Tlocassa. (Some merchants, however, are attempting to convince the Szets that the Arch may serve as a powerful rapid-delivery system for goods from one end of the universe to others. They have suggested that the Arch of Brömtre be used to transport goods from one planet to another, with Tlocassa serving as the "middle man.") A great majority of the Arch-Travelers see their purpose as learning as much as they can as quickly as they can about the other races. Many have a particular interest in learning about the technologies and magic of other races, either so those abilities can be duplicated by Tlocassan magic, or to know what the Tlocassans might face in the future. Tlocassans as a whole realize that the latest chapter in their civilization, the chapter that began with the Krembla incident and has now lead them into contact with the myriad of races in the universe, is one from which they can not turn back. Now that other races know of their existence, they can no longer depend on their Kijra atmosphere for protection. Tlocassans recognize that it is only a matter of time before one of these races develops a way to penetrate that holy shield, and Tlocassa needs to be prepared for that day when it arrives. The great debate, among the church hierarchy, and among all Tlocassans, is how will they modify their culture to adapt to the changing situation in the universe.

The skin of Tlocassans is purple, in varying tinges. Most Tlocassans are dressed very plainly, in robes, tunics, vests, and similar items, usually in plain colors (beige, gray, brown, black, and white being the most popular.) However, Tlocassans often adorn themselves with chains of multi-colored beads. They are also quite fond of headwear, which are also predominantly plain colored with multi-colored bead adornments. These beads represent the spells known by the Tlocassan, as follows:

All followers of Brömtre carry a Feurlo on their person, either in a pouch on their waist or on a chain around their neck.

The planet is characterized by large continental islands relatively evenly spaced over approximately half of the planet's surface area. The intelligent inhabitants of Tlocassa are found on all of these continents, though their largest cities are primarily near the coastlines. The other important characteristic of the planet is the orange, cloudy upper atmosphere which covers the planet, obscuring vision of the universe to those on its surface and almost totally hiding the planet’s surface from those looking down (or electronically scanning) through it. Indeed, this atmosphere has staved off many invasions in the past, as would-be colonizers have either passed by the planet or suffered equipment failure attempting to penetrate through the cloud barrier.

While occasional strong storms do affect the coastlines, for the most part, the Tlocassan climate is temperate, though perhaps a bit colder than other civilized beings might be used to. There are many forests covering large sections of the planet, providing shelter to fauna as well as wood, which is the primary building material and source of heat for the Tlocassans. Water, too, is plentiful. While many of the oceans are salt water, the continents themselves have both large lakes and rivers containing fresh potable water. There is also sufficient farmland to provide for the small population. Ores and minerals are low, and more advanced energy sources (such as blue coal, oil, uranium, etc.) are not plentiful, but the Tlocassans have managed to survive without them for centuries.

Tlocassans are primarily an urban society; 75% of the Tlocassan population of 2,600,000 lives in the towns and cities that dot the coastlines of the various continents. An additional 18% of the society live in what could be termed the "suburbs" of those cities, and only a meager 7% (primarily farmers and herders) live in rural areas. Only about 50 Tlocassans are currently known to live off the planet.

* Please note that very little in this game is truly mandatory. If a player can justify why his or her character does not have a merit or flaw which is "mandatory" for characters of this race, a GM may allow the player not to take that particular flaw or merit. However, the GM might also suggest that the player might be better served by selecting another race.

· A Tlocassan missionary, working to convert all alien races you encounter to Brömtre.

· A governmental ambassador, secular in nature, representing one of Tlocassa’s continental nations. You might have been sent to gather information and to explore trade and/or military alliances with other planetary civilizations.

· Any member of either of these individual’s "support staff," sent to help the missionary or ambassador, but also having aims/goals of you own. As such, you may still be with the original team, or you may have set off on your own for any number of reasons (only survivor, loss of faith, etc.) Examples of such support staff include: