HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bpostow@occs.cs.oberlin.edu (Brian Postow)
Subject: Re: Approved actions, changed from Idea to be kicked around
Organization: Oberlin College Computer Science
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 05:40:41 GMT
X-Posted-From: occs.cs.oberlin.edu
X-Posted-Through: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

I agree with whomever it was who mentioned the players who played
"Brainy characters" as I am one myself. I can now play a non-violent
character and not have to worry about all of my co-players laghing at
me when I can't do anything useful in combat [as happens in Shadow
Run] playing characters who can shoot large guns.

--
Brian Postow :: The Pasta Knight - that noodle head in shiny armour
reachable at:
bpostow@occs.oberlin.edu
sbp2530@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu		this space left unintentionally blank.
sbp2530@oberlin.bitnet.edu

Yes, I KNOW that 6*9 is 42 in base 13.
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: bhv@areaplg2.corp.mot.com (Bronis Vidugiris)
Subject: Re: Yet more high-tech stuff from Japan!
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: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 23:03:55 GMT

> Your Mission, should you decide to accept it, is to reconnoiter a
> weird science research center near Thebes.
> 
> (And of course, they won't have to do ANYTHING other than gather
> intelligence.  Not in the boring ol' Nile Empire.  Certainly Not!
> <cackle,cackle,cackle>  :)

We had to do that once.  I'm not sure where our GM got all the ideas from,
for the base, think he had a source (maybe the one you quoted).  Anyway, in
our case we had to recover the digging machine, which was being studied in a
weird science lab.  Fairly nasty place - we got in by being smuggled in
as supplies, with some inside help.  We still had a tough time getting into
the weird science area - they had a heavily reinforced door guarding the only
entrance.  Some of our party made the mistake of lingering outside - and
got shot at by the anti-aircraft guns on the roof after the guner made a
good roll to depress his aim far enough & overcome the safeties.

This was for our eventual assault on the Omegatron!  [Our GM said that that
this hare-brained idea came from WEG, no less - one of their suggestions]  We
used the digging machine to tunnel into the palace.  Naturally, we came out
quite aways away from the Omegatron, and had to walk in to the Omegatron
itself.  (The digging machine couldn't be reset accurately
enough).

We didn't have any forged orders, unfortunately - not having planned ahead.
The mage probably should have tried to cast a 'nothing wrong' spell on some
papers, but she didn't think of it.  We bluffed our way past the first set of
guards - we had to shoot our way through the three other checkpoints.  (We
outran one set of closing security doors & had to pick the lock on the final
entrance.)  Then, we only had to face the possibility rated villian on guard
duty [plus 6-8 ord guards who were not really a problem].  The backup p-rated
villain (next watch) and some gospog didn't show up until later....

Fortunately, we acquired an escape card along the way - I'm not
sure we would have made it back out again otherwise.  [One of the characters
we rescued was a high-level priest, who managed to do an invocation and turn
a steel beam into a giant steel snake. This cleared our way out, so we
made it back to the digging machine.

Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: jogle@dopey.vlba.nrao.edu (Jim Ogle (Ks. Jim))
Subject: Re: What Year is it There?
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: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 04:42:24 GMT

Rick writes:

> 	So what if it's 1942 there and 1992 here?  (Actually, that makes
> some things interesting for Terra Expatriates, since WWii is 
> happening "right now" for them.  Do they go over and try to use 
> Core Earth historical facts to their benefit?  What about the 
> Possibility Wars, then?)

Of course there's no guarantee that Terra is even having a WWII;
things could be different enough that the end of WWI didn't leave
Germany in the condition that allowed WWII to come about.

Besides, they'd probably be more concerned with the Martian invasion
of Terra going on now....


Kansas Jim (jogle@nrao.edu)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: burt@ptltd.com (Burton Choinski)
Subject: Re: Multi-Actions
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: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 15:00:20 GMT

I think the multi-action stuff is best limited to perhaps two, and at best 
three activities.  As David Oakes notes, you can dodge and shoot with agressive
defense, and the modifiers line up with the OOM table.  
  -- Burton
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: Jim Ogle (Ks. Jim) <jogle@aoc.nrao.edu>
Subject: The Force!
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, 24 Jul 1992 21:01:29 GMT

Grant says:

> I translated the Force powers from Star Wars to TORG miracles for a 
> tournament last year. They're proabably around here somewhere...I could
> look for them if anyone's interested.

Sounds good to me; it'll save me the trouble of doing it myself (you
see, I'm working on this branch of the Akashan Monitors.... 8-)

Of course, you'll have to update it in a few months when the new Star
Wars RPG stuff comes out as there will probably be new Force powers
and whatnot....

Kansas Jim (jogle@nrao.edu)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: bhv@areaplg2.corp.mot.com (Bronis Vidugiris)
Subject: Re: Induce Cyberpsychosis
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: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 21:57:40 GMT

> I did a detailed followup, but the computer ate it, so I'll keep this short.
> 1)Magic 12 is not high enough to sit down and design a spell. Talk to your GM.

Nothing wrong with talking to your GM.  I'm not sure I understand the
objection here, though.

> 2)Only Conjuration magic produces illusions.

Nope.  As was stated in the minotaur post, transformation magic without
an essence, which is an alteration spell, is also illusory.  You can't
really change a person to a minotaur, or lead to gold, without an essence.
With an essence, the effect is real but of limited duration.  The difference
between transformation and modification is discussed in more detail in
Pixauds, rather than the basic book or Aysle book where it isn't very clear.

I haven't had a chance to look up 'charm person' in Pixaud's yet, which I
think is a good spell to use as a basis.

> 3)C-psycho checks don't happen all the time, so just casting a spell for one
> seems unfair. Make it an illusion (Conjuration) and the effect is a Test of 
> Will. If a Setback is gained, he has to make a regular check (unskilled and
> stymie results apply normally, and Player's call is automatic C-psycho).

This seems somewhat reasonable.  I'm not sure what 'automatic C-psycho is,
though.  An effect value of 25 for the spell will have a fairly good chance
of inducing this state, BTW - but this level of effect will be hard to
produce without a lot of work on the spell or making it impressed (which
would be a problem in Tharkold as the axiom doesn't support impressed
spells).

Oh - this brings up an interesting question.  If an Aysle mage impresses some
spells into him/herself, then disconnects in any of the numerous realities
that don't allow impressed spells, do the impressed spells disappear?

Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: gdavis@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Grant R. Davis)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
Subject: Email Corporate War Rules
Date: 30 Jul 92 01:14:35 GMT
Reply-To: gdavis@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Grant R. Davis)
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX
Originator: gdavis@donald.cc.utexas.edu

Here are the rules for playing in the Email Corporate War game. To join
at any time, send me email. Players will be notified shortly of their
corporation's stats. Results of the turns will be sent to Infiniverse.

The Corporate War rules are on p. 85 of the Nippon Tech Sourcebook.
The following are changes to those rules:
1)Turns represent two weeks of game time and will be conducted every
two weeks of real time (hopefully). Income is collected and interest
is paid every turn. The market changes every turn.
2)Agents: CEOs get 1 agent for every 1 billion yen in assets. If assets are
reduced, agents will be laid off in order of skill unless the CEO declares
otherwise. All agents have a Mind of 8 and 1 add in Business. They acquire
adds as described in the Infiniverse update; experience equal to the value
of time in months of the next add (it might be in the Storm Knight's guide,
so don't run out and buy it). More skills may be added later, after I work
out the Raiding System.
	The CEO and each agent can take 1 action per turn. Actions are:
Invest in capital: 1 action per 100 million spent.
Purchase stock: 1 action per holding company or subsidiary.
Sell Stock: 1 action per holding company or subsidiary.
Purchase bonds: 1 action (agent makes business roll for junk bonds).
Issue bonds:1 action. Junk bonds must be sold using the Stock Transaction
Table, at 1000 per bond; agent makes the business roll.
Payoff debts: no actions.
Stock Assault:1 action per 100 million; each agent makes a business roll.
Stock Defense: no actions.
Hostile Takeover: 1 action, agent makes business roll. Only 1 agent per turn
per subsidiary or holding company.
Takeover Defense: no actions.
Corporate Restructuring:1 action per 100 million spent.
3)Escalation-every time a corporation attempts a stock assault or a hostile
takeover, the escalation scale rises. The higher the scale, the greater
the chance that a corporation not actively involved in the war will randomly 
attack the players. These corporations will not be drawn into the war unless 
they are counterattacked. Even if they are drawn in, a 'peace treaty' may be
worked out later.
	Note that the escalation scale applies to everyone equally, not just
the player who made the attack. Subtlety is important.
4)Possibilties will be awarded by profit earned each turn. You will be
informed if you may take advantage of the Law of Vengeance. Player CEOs 
have a Mind of 12 and 3 adds in Business, and may increase their skill
normally.

The Grant Man
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: burt@ptltd.com (Burton Choinski)
Subject: Re: Toughness/Armors
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: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 19:17:16 GMT

Colin says:
-------
If you fired a pistol at the wall all day, would you ever get through?
(DV = ~17)
How 'bout a GodLight? (DV = 24)
-------
I was hoping for a little more accuracy.  But My Perceptions (tm) might not
be correct.  I don't know enough physics/ballistics to guestimate what
1cm of steel will stop.  Now, if I have a hard number to play with (a .38
ACP round can penetrate x millimeters of steel), I can try to backtrack.
   -- Burton
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: "Colin J. Wynne"  <WYNNE.C@fs.sciences.WLU.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Approved actions, changed from Idea to be kicked around
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, 24 Jul 1992 14:37:58 GMT

Jim Ogle (Ks. Jim) <jogle@aoc.nrao.edu> writes:

> Colin writes:
>
>
> > The problem is that unskilled is a better result than stymie.  I
> > have seen a proposed correction for this (I honestly can't
> > remember if it was on this net, or in I-verse, or even somewhere
> > else) that had two solutions:  either reverse the two outcomes
> > on the interaction charts, or make 'stymie' into 'stymied and
> > unskilled'.
>
>
> Both solutions were presented here on the net.  The 'stymied &
> unskilled' is my house rule.
>
> What I find hard to believe is the number of Possibilities that my
> players will spend in pursuit of cards and then they complain
> about how low on Possibilities they are....

Thanks, KJ.  Credit where credit is due.  I prefer the 'stymied and
unskilled' POV myself, although I have been known to turn a villain's
interaction stymie into a minor setback of sorts on occasion.

Sounds like your players need to read the Quote on the Covert
Operative template:  something about misplaced priorities?

CJW

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>                                         wynne.c.j@p9955.wlu.edu  >>
==  Colin J. Wynne                                  - or -          ==
<<                                      wynne.c@fs.science.wlu.edu  <<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: mly@sei.cmu.edu (Michael Yacht)
Subject: Re:      Re: Possiblity Healing
Organization: The Software Engineering Institute
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 14:34:57 GMT


In article <gatemail1.0b202855431937@morticia>, "Colin J. Wynne"  <WYNNE.C@fs.sciences.WLU.EDU> writes:
|> > Ok, here goes a Question for all you rules Guru's:
|> >
|> > I am a new GM, so I need to clear something up.  When you use a
|> > possibility to hear a 'just inflicted' set of damage it says you
|> > can do 3 of the following:
|> > 1. heal 1 wound
|> > 2. remove 3 shock
|> > 3. remove a knockout condition
|> > 4. remove a knockdown
|> >
|> > My question is can you do more than one of these...IE:
|> >
|> > if I just took 3Wound KO 5, and I already had 2wound, my character
|> > is in fear of dying...forget the KO and the shock.  Can I use my
|> > 'remove damage' possibility to remove say...all 3 wounds, leaving
|> > a KO and 5 shock???
|> >
|> > -Specter
|> > -Mike Yacht
|> 
|> Absolutely.  Also keep in mind that a K, an O, or a KO on the damage
|> chart are all only one 'packet' of damage.  So, if WND KO 5 came up,
|> you could cancel WND as one, KO as one, and 3 as one, leaving only
|> two shock.
|> 
|> Good luck with your GM'ing!
|> 
|> CJW
|> 
|> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
|> >>                                         wynne.c.j@p9955.wlu.edu  >>
|> ==  Colin J. Wynne                                  - or -          ==
|> <<                                      wynne.c@fs.science.wlu.edu  <<
|> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
|> 

Ok...people are misunderstanding me :)

I know that you can do 3 of them...the question is whether or not I can do 
2 or 3 of the SAME one...like removing 3 wound, and leaving the other damage 
intact...

-Mikey
J.P.Malraux @ TorgMUSH (coming soon)


-Mike Yacht
-Carnegie Mellon University -- School of Computer Science
====================================================================
Mike Yacht             || specter+@CMU.EDU
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: cpearce%nemesis@nemesis.acs.unt.edu (Chris Pearce)
Subject: Re: Idea to be kicked about. (expanded)
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: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 15:05:17 GMT

> HEY, Why am I giving this free to all you people, I should write this up and
> see if we can sell it to some company who makes money publishing stuff for
> other games. (WEG probalby would not want it).

Watch it Bruce... If you do publish the thing, at least credit all those who
helped you with it. You're getting helpful feedback from the list, and I
published the core post on the thing.

My original idea for it was to write it up and send it to Infiniverse. The
concept would make an interesting short article, but since it hinges so
completely on the Torg mechanics, it can't really fly as a product in an
of itself.

I think when this thing gets written up, it should present a few options
for grim'n'gritty, since the darker you want your game the more player
aids you drop: cards, poss, nice damage chart.

I'm still thinking about your initiative system, but my primary impression is
that it does complicate things a bit -- it isn't a mechanic that makes the
system grim'n'gritty in itself... it is more of just an alternate initiative
system.

-- 
Chris Pearce -- cpearce@nemesis.acs.unt.edu
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: Rick Pim <RICK@QUCDNEE.BITNET>
Subject: Re: FTL flight spells
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: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 22:26:00 GMT

 > are Dave_Wetzel@vos.stratus.com

> Does anyone know what tech level you
>need to develop the metering device fine enough to detect that light
>travels at all?

i can make a guess. the first "accurate" measurement of the speed of
light was done by roemer in 1675. his method involved looking at moons
of jupiter, so the tech axiom would require some sort of telescope. the
quality of clock required would have to be able to keep time to an
accuracy of about 15 seconds over a period of 42 hours. (or so my back
of the envelope calculation says; your mileage may vary.)

i don't have the books in front of me, so i don't know how these might
compare to the ayslish axioms. of course, the mage would have to be in
aysle realm. :-)

rp
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: "Colin J. Wynne"  <WYNNE.C@fs.sciences.WLU.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Multi-Actions
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: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 13:37:59 GMT

do>Colin J. Wynne flames:
do>   !OK, multiple die rolls don't make sense in a *cinematic* way,
do>   !saieth one, and then he goes and writes another post on, "How
do>   !'bout those insanity rules, to cripple the players mentally and
do>   !really screw them over?"

Honest, Dave, I had nobody specific in mind when I wrote this.  I
hadn't even been following the insanity thread, or know who was on it.

do>   ! [multi-intimidation in Stalek deleted]

do>yes, morale (and the subsequent cowering of the minions) is one
do>possible explaination for not doing MoO. just as valid is the
do>minions realising they have numbers on their side, or not being
do>cowed by someone ignoring them for their leader, or even ignoring
do>their leader for being cowed by one man with a fake gun (no self
do>respecting CE redneck is going to take the Flash Gordon Gun
do>seriously without having seen one in action.  then... run like
do>hell!)

do> dave "where's that shift key?" oakes

But, using the TOU increases instead of the DN mods gives, I think
better results.  Since the leader is obviously going to be the first
target of a OoM intimidate, if you use the DN penalties, he gets the
fuzzy end of the lollipop.  But, if you use TOU increases...

Again, for five guys (-2,-4,-6,-6,-8) is an average increase of a tad
over 5.  The TOU increase is +4, which means that, in comparison to
the first method, the leader is a little bit harder to intimidate,
and the minions are a little bit easier to intimidate.  Which is as
it should be to promote that (oh no, is he _really_ going to say it?)
*cinematic* flair.

CJW

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>                                         wynne.c.j@p9955.wlu.edu  >>
==  Colin J. Wynne                                  - or -          ==
<<                                      wynne.c@fs.science.wlu.edu  <<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: bpostow@occs.cs.oberlin.edu (Brian Postow)
Subject: wierd science
Organization: Oberlin College Computer Science
Distribution: alt
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 18:08:46 GMT
X-Posted-From: occs.cs.oberlin.edu
X-Posted-Through: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

I have a question about, [yes, You guessed it] wierd science. what
skill do you use to use an article of wierd science? I don't have the
book, so I don't know a whole lot about gadget creation, or use, but
here is what I want:
I want to make a non-violent gadget hereo [REALLY??? Brian playing a
NON-VIOLENT CHARACTER??? gasp B-] [ok enough sarcsm for one post B-]
And I want him to create a few weopons that just immobilize the
target. say, aa bolo gun, a net gun and maybe some sort of stun whip.
now what skills would be used to use these gadgets?

It would probably be firearms and mellee weopons right? I wanted the
character not to have anyviolent skills, but I guess I can't do that..
oh well...

--
Brian Postow :: The Pasta Knight - that noodle head in shiny armour
reachable at:
bpostow@occs.oberlin.edu
sbp2530@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu		this space left unintentionally blank.
sbp2530@oberlin.bitnet.edu

Yes, I KNOW that 6*9 is 42 in base 13.
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: bpostow@occs.cs.oberlin.edu (Brian Postow)
Subject: Re: wierd science
Organization: Oberlin College Computer Science
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 16:24:28 GMT
X-Posted-From: occs.cs.oberlin.edu
X-Posted-Through: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

ok, thanks

--
Brian Postow :: The Pasta Knight - that noodle head in shiny armour
reachable at:
bpostow@occs.oberlin.edu
sbp2530@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu		this space left unintentionally blank.
sbp2530@oberlin.bitnet.edu

Yes, I KNOW that 6*9 is 42 in base 13.
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: Jim Ogle (Ks. Jim) <jogle@aoc.nrao.edu>
Subject: Re: Ok, a few more Q's
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: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 23:18:31 GMT

Rick Pim writes:

> > are mly@sei.cmu.edu (Michael Yacht)
> 
> >2) When you fail a Miracle, you lose the ability to cast that miracle for 24
> >hours.  Plus, you lose faith for 24 hours.
>    it's not necessarily clear that you automatically lose Faith: if the
> Focus total failed, then there was no Faith total so there shouldn't
> necessarily be a loss of Faith.

If Father Bob performs a miracle and provides the Faith but fails on
the Focus value, his Faith will be shaken in himself and/or his diety
("Is my belief too weak?" or "Why didn't He/She/It help me?"), so a
loss of Faith would seem to make sense.  If Father Bob is performing a
miracle on someone providing the Faith and fails, they too will be
shaken in the same way.  But Father Bob is only shaken in his ability
to perform that one miracle, partially because he can lay the blame on
the subject ("His faith wasn't sufficient"), but Bob's belief is
shaken enough that he cannot perform the miracle for a while ("Maybe
it isn't His/Her/Its will to perform this miracle.")

That's how I see it working, so if a miracle fails then both the
miracle and the Faith get affected.


Kansas Jim (jogle@aoc.nrao.edu)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
From: burt@ptltd.com (Burton Choinski)
Subject: Re: Penetration
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: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 20:00:57 GMT

Well, given how it is set in a post holocaust game, I think it makes a lot
of assumptions.  I think it means "ye olde standard building concrete", not
bunkers.  The explosive is just stuck on the side, not tamped.  Man size? 
I would guess abot 5-6 feet high.

What would you figure the DV of 1kg of C4 to be?
  -- Burton
From: wolf@cheshire.oxy.edu (Clinton Richard Wolf)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg
Subject: Re: A coupole simple questions...
Date: 28 Jul 92 17:06:50 GMT
Organization: Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA 90041 USA.

In article <gatemail1.0b2091133412459@morticia> "Colin J. Wynne"  <WYNNE.C@fs.sciences.WLU.EDU> writes:
>
>> Next I was wondering how do you all pronounce Stelae...
>Singular:  STEHL-ah
>Plural  :  STEHL-ay
>It's a real word, and the declensions are Latin.
>
 Umm... I may be wrong, not having had a Latin class since Junior High, but
isn't the ae combination pronounced like an 'I' in Latin, like we 'Mericans
say 'eyeball'? I think the 'ay' pronunciation of ae is Greek.