From: Jim Ogle (Ks. Jim) <jogle@aoc.nrao.edu>
Subject: Re: Tharkoldu
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 18:22:18 GMT

Well, I went back over my revisions of Tharkold and found that most of
it was either clearing up mechanics or just emphasizing some of the
things in the sourcebook that got lost in the clutter (for example,
that there are actually very few tharkoldu in LA, and that even the
cybergangs are not large compared to the population in general.)  Most
of the background and 'feel' that I was working on has already been
explained rather well by Clint so I won't try and repeat it (I'm not
feeling eloquent today anyway.)

Anyway, here's my take on the Tharkoldu and their game writeups...

---
	The "average" Tharkoldu writeups in the sourcebook are pretty
extreme in some places when compared to the attribute maximums that
got cut out of the sourcebook (but were posted on GEnie) and when
compared to the situation of the PC techno-demon (six enhancement
packages for the PC but none for demons with equal stats).  Instead of
giving the NPC Tharkoldu enhancement packages I have lowered the
average values of the attributes for each level of Tharkoldu.  While
they are still extreme creatures, the discrepancy between the PC
techno-demon and the lower level Tharkoldu is taken care of and the
"average" high level Tharkoldu are no longer better than most High
Lords.  Certain NPCs may retain their writeups in the sourcebook
material so long as they do not violate the caste limits below.

Racial Attribute Maximums of the Tharkold cosm (from Greg Gorden):

(attributes are listed in order of Dex, Str, Tou, Per, Mind, Cha, Spi)

Techno-Demon  13  17  17  13  13  12  12
Alpha         13  19  19  13  13  13  13
Greater Alpha 15  19  20  16  16  16  16
Demon Lord    16  20  23  20  20  19  19
Demon Prince  18  21  26  25  25  24  24

NPC example: Aras-benHav, a Greater Alpha in the sourcebook, has Mind
and Spirit values of 17.  His writeup is changed so that both of those
attributes are 16.

Average attribute values for Tharkoldu levels (my version)

Techno-Demon   9  14  14  10  10   8  10	
Alpha         10  15  16  11  11   9  11
Greater Alpha 11  16  18  13  13  11  13
Demon Lord    13  17  19  16  16  12  16
Demon Prince  16  18  21  19  19  14  19

These attribute levels do not reflect any cyberware that the Tharkoldu
may possess.
	When a Tharkoldu is promoted to a new level its attributes do
not change, just its attribute maximums.  However, if a Tharkoldu
should be demoted it must conform to its new attribute maximums.  If
this means that an attribute must drop to the new maximum level then
the attribute drops to that level.  (For example, a Demon Prince with
a Dex of 18 who becomes a Demon Lord has its Dex drop to 16.)
	Attributes are increased through the usual means (spending
Possibilties or the undefined Ord method).  If a demotion results in
the loss of attribute points, those points are lost, even if the demon
later regains its previous level.  The average attribute levels given
represent the approximate level of experience a Tharkoldu needs to be
powerful enough to overcome others and "promote" to that level of
demon.

	Rogue Tharkoldu (ie, PCs) are a special case.  Because they
have removed themselves from the normal Tharkoldu social structure
they are weakened by their rejection of the Law of Domination.
Regardless of what level the Tharkoldu had attained before becoming a
Rogue, it drops to the level of a Techno-demon regarding attribute
limitations and special abilities (ie, none).  In addition, the demon
has nine of its attribute points transformed into enhancement packages
(three of them).  The demon can either pay an adventure cost of three
Possibilities or place limitations (max of 8) on three of its
attributes (or any combination thereof).  
	Should the demon ever rejoin Tharkoldu society (ie, is no
longer a rogue) the enhancement packages turn back into regular
attribute points and the demon is treated like any other Tharkoldu of
whatever level it becomes.  A PC Tharkoldu who rejoins Tharkoldu
society becomes an NPC.  

	A Rogue Tharkoldu who has disconnected has to reconnect four
times; once for itself and three times for its enhancement packages.
Until the demon has reconnected four times it is considered to be
disconnected.  While disconnected the Rogue does not get its
enhancement packages, lowering its attributes accordingly.
	Non-rogue Tharkoldu who disconnect have to reconnect a number
of times based upon their attributes; for each attribute over 13 they
have to reconnect once, plus one for themselves.  So an average
Techno-Demon has to reconnect three times (two attributes over 13 plus
one) and an average Demon Lord has to reconnect six times (five
attributes over 13 plus one).  It is obviously in the best interest of
high level Tharkoldu to not disconnect!  While disconnected, any
attribute over 13 drops to a 13 until the demon makes all its
reconnections.  (Note: this is due to losing the connection with the
world laws.  NPCs who have received Possibility Energy from Malgest to
increase their attributes will not lose those attribute points.)

	Demon Luck, the magical ability a Tharkoldu gains at the Great
Alpha level, does not work automatically as the sourcebook says.
Instead, the demon must first generate a Demon Luck value against the
Reality (or Spirit for Ords) value of its opponent; result points
indicate the number of rounds that Demon Luck takes effect.  If the
demon is facing more than one opponent, the highest Reality (or
Spirit) value is used, with appropriate One-on-Many modifiers.
	If the demon uses Demon Luck on one opponent and then engages
a different opponent before the first opponent's Demon Luck expires,
it does not carry over; the demon must generate another Demon Luck
value to use it against the new opponent.  However, if the single
opponent is joined by another opponent during the duration of the
Demon Luck the demon does not need to generate a new total (when the
demon's on a roll you don't want to get involved!)
	Combat Dominance, the magical ability a Tharkoldu gains at the
Demon Lord level, can be negated by a target.  The target generates a
Reality value against the Combat Dominance value of the demon.  If
successful, the Combat Dominance is negated.  The demon may attempt to
reinstate Combat Dominance if it wishes.
	Death Chance, the magical Demon Prince ability, is modified
slightly.  If the person that killed the demon Prince is killed by
someone other than the Demon Prince, the Demon Prince must kill that
person to regain his life (not just anyone as the sourcebook says).
The chain does not go past that step though; if the killer's killer is
killed (by someone else or by an accident) the Demon Prince is denied
his chance to live again and will die at the end of its Death Chance.
If the Demon Prince's killer is killed by an accident, then the Demon
Lord will die at the end of its Death Chance.  If the Demon Prince is
denied the chance to live again for any reason and it is killed before
the end of its Death Chance then it is dead - it doesn't get back up
again.
---

Kansas Jim (jogle@aoc.nrao.edu)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg