Spartan
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Let's Read Harnmaster
- Thread starter robertsconley
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AsenRG
#FuckWotC #PlayNonDnDGames
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robertsconley do you plan to run it online?The matrix reminds me nicely of Maelstrom, BTW.
But AFAICT, there's no way to account for stronger people dealing more damage (unlike the damage bonus in Mytras/BRP and the qualities in Maelstrom). Even the 18 Str guy in the Harn combat example didn't seem to get more powerful strikes due to this, he was just trying to deliver a good whack
.By that metric, though, how was HM2 created
?
robertsconley
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Yup figuring out the logistics right now. It will be done with Roll20, and Discord and I will make a post before the weekend for signups. As for time, it will take place on a weekend after Mother's Day May 10th.
robertsconley
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Yes I will be posting the notice on the Pub.
robertsconley
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The Campaign
This is a 16 page article.
First off this has little in the way of general philosphy. Most of that was outlined in the Introduction. Instead this article focus more on the nuts and bolts of managing time and having things happen while the character travel around, have adventures, and live out their lives.
Calenders
Central to many of the routines is the Tuzyn Calender. A year is divided in 12 months of 30 days each. The full moon falls on the 15th and the new moon on the 30th.
The current year is 720 TR (Tuzyn Reckoning). While there are events in Harn history that happens 10,000 years ago or a 1,000 years ago. The most relevent are within the 700 years timespan of the Tuzyn Reckoning. Even within that "modern" Harn history is the past 200 years. This helps a lot with understanding what going on.
Another interesting aspect of the Harn setting is that the setting been pegged at 720 TR since its first release back in the 80s. I showed pictures of my collection in 2010 versus 2020 and despite that expansion anything set in the "present" is always referencing 720 TR. This allows Harn material both past and present to have a high degree of compatibility.
Finally while there are 24 hours in a day. Most of the following use 4 hour watches.
So day to day life in a Harn campaign involves determining one or more of the following.
Maps and Mapping
Harn has several different types and scales of maps.
Poetic a in-game map.
Regional
GM Atlas map
Local map
Interior Map
Campaign Time
This one page section is about how to manage time within a campaign especially if you have multiple groups playing different session. While most referees are just refereeing one group at a time this type of advice is not commonly found anymore and is interesting to read.
Future History
Some advice and tables on how to generate events going forward from the 720 TR start date.
Movement Rates
Here we are given movement rates for different terrain and whether it is on foot, using a cart, a wagon, or on horseback. Harn measures distance in leagues where 1 league = 1 hour walking across level terrain or 2.5 mi/4 km. From long experience this is incrediably useful and I adopted it use for all my fantasy settings.
Transportation
This 2 page section gives advice, costs, and details on various forms of transporation like porters, wagons, and barges.
Caravan and Baggage Trains
There are several important long distance trails on Harn (Genin Trial, the Salt Route, etc). Caravans are a common occurance on these trails and this sections gives advice, costs, and details on how they work.
Encounters
This section is a series of encounter tables and their mechanics. At first glance it doesn't look too different than what found in most RPGS. However it much more concerned about the life of the setting and less on encountering monsters to fight.
Forms
The last two pages are two forms for use in running a Harn Campaign. The first is a 30 day calender with space to note what happens during each four hour watch. The second is a 12 month calender with six columns allowing you to note events happening in up to six locations for an entire year. Of the two I find the first the most useful as a campaign log even when I am not using Harn.
OK next is Treasure!
This is a 16 page article.
First off this has little in the way of general philosphy. Most of that was outlined in the Introduction. Instead this article focus more on the nuts and bolts of managing time and having things happen while the character travel around, have adventures, and live out their lives.
Calenders
Central to many of the routines is the Tuzyn Calender. A year is divided in 12 months of 30 days each. The full moon falls on the 15th and the new moon on the 30th.
The current year is 720 TR (Tuzyn Reckoning). While there are events in Harn history that happens 10,000 years ago or a 1,000 years ago. The most relevent are within the 700 years timespan of the Tuzyn Reckoning. Even within that "modern" Harn history is the past 200 years. This helps a lot with understanding what going on.
Another interesting aspect of the Harn setting is that the setting been pegged at 720 TR since its first release back in the 80s. I showed pictures of my collection in 2010 versus 2020 and despite that expansion anything set in the "present" is always referencing 720 TR. This allows Harn material both past and present to have a high degree of compatibility.
Finally while there are 24 hours in a day. Most of the following use 4 hour watches.
So day to day life in a Harn campaign involves determining one or more of the following.
- Environ: Urban, Rural, Wilderness, Highway, Underworld (rare), River, Sealanes, Open Sea, Safe Environ (downtime)
- Timetick: Normally the four hour watch, but can be 10 seconds for combat, 1 minute for Underworld or Urban
- Weather Generation: More about this later but Harn has the best weather generation system of any RPG.
- Encounter Generation: Roll to see what happen or who is encountered.
- Movement: Where the players are going within the time tick.
- Maps and Mapping: To aid this Harn product often have blank outlines or player view maps included.
Maps and Mapping
Harn has several different types and scales of maps.
Poetic a in-game map.
Regional
GM Atlas map
Local map
Interior Map
Campaign Time
This one page section is about how to manage time within a campaign especially if you have multiple groups playing different session. While most referees are just refereeing one group at a time this type of advice is not commonly found anymore and is interesting to read.
Future History
Some advice and tables on how to generate events going forward from the 720 TR start date.
Movement Rates
Here we are given movement rates for different terrain and whether it is on foot, using a cart, a wagon, or on horseback. Harn measures distance in leagues where 1 league = 1 hour walking across level terrain or 2.5 mi/4 km. From long experience this is incrediably useful and I adopted it use for all my fantasy settings.
Transportation
This 2 page section gives advice, costs, and details on various forms of transporation like porters, wagons, and barges.
Caravan and Baggage Trains
There are several important long distance trails on Harn (Genin Trial, the Salt Route, etc). Caravans are a common occurance on these trails and this sections gives advice, costs, and details on how they work.
Encounters
This section is a series of encounter tables and their mechanics. At first glance it doesn't look too different than what found in most RPGS. However it much more concerned about the life of the setting and less on encountering monsters to fight.
Forms
The last two pages are two forms for use in running a Harn Campaign. The first is a 30 day calender with space to note what happens during each four hour watch. The second is a 12 month calender with six columns allowing you to note events happening in up to six locations for an entire year. Of the two I find the first the most useful as a campaign log even when I am not using Harn.
OK next is Treasure!
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Devil
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101 Encounters is what flipped the light bulb on for me as far as understanding how to run adventures in Harn. And what glorious light it shed...
robertsconley
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One of the other outstanding resources on Lythia is Harn Pottage. A collection of articles written like the normal Harn article but more generic so they can be placed anywhere or used with any fantasy setting that has medieval elements.
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Is there an online guide to the various supplements and what part of the world they decsribe?
robertsconley
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robertsconley
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Treasure
This is a 24 Page Article
This article is in part commentary on the value of things and a catalog of treasure. I found the first part very useful and adopted it wholesale for the Majestic Wilderlands as it fleshed out a mundane treasure a lot. The latter part has a lot of flavor but it is more tied to Harnmaster and the Harn setting.
The Value of Items
The advice is not give out the "value" as what the PCs get for it will be part of a subjective appraisal than a straight conversion into coin.
Treasure Register
Given the above the referee is advised to keep a secret treasure register where the generated value and characteristics are record.
Treasure Age
As part of this the age of the treasure is generated. While a bit fiddly, Harn does a good job of structuring it time period into something more managable than usual. There are seven time periods each a very distinctive time in Harn's history. The unclearest are the differences, between Modern, Middle , and Anicent. A better way to look at it would be Current Kingdom, Early in the Kingdom's history, pre-Kingdom history.
Treasure Condition
Next is the condition of the treasure when it is found. Pristine or corroded badly?
Personal Possessions
Next a useful series of tables to generate the possessions of a NPCs. I suggest making a possesion roster for common types of NPCs as it something you don't want to do during play. Possession can consist of Clothing, Armor, Silver/Gold, Usurer's Notes, Gems/Jewelry, Trade Goods, Misc Items, and Camping/Equipment.
Next are the detailed listing and treasure generation for different types of treasure.
Potions and Elixirs
Harn relies more on potions made from natural herbs than the traditional magic potion. For those of you who play classic D&D, I created my own take on this.
Gems and Jewelry
A detailed system for generating jewelry or unmounted gems. Very useful for other RPGs.
Written Works
Harnmaster put some emphasis on written works as mundane treasure. The result can be flavorful and sold to the right party can net the party quite a bit.
Mystic Tomes
Generating works of a magical nature. The main mechanical effect is improving one or more skills.
Armor and Weapons
This section generate armor and weapons as treasure. Focusing on the mundane effect like adornments and weapon quality.
Artifacts
These are the magic items of Harnmaster. They are divided into two groups, major artifacts and minor artifacts. Major artifacts invariably have personalities although not all of them are sentient. Major artifacts have multiple powers while minor artifacts have only one.
The rest of the article about artifacts talkes about the different type of personalities (artifical, natural). How does Harnmaster Magic work with artifacts. A summary of some Harnmaster Magic spells that could be part of a major artifact so you can make them without owning HM Magic. How some artifacts need mental attunement which in-game is a empathic bond with the artifact and not some artifical treasure limitation. Some ways to invoke the artifact powers. Finally how Artifacts are powered by magical charges.
Artifact example.
Earthmaster Artifacts
The last section, 3 pages, are a table and list of Earthmaster artifacts and their abilities. Earthmaster are the enigmatic precurser race found in Harn and left several extensive ruins.
Earthmaster Artifact example.
That it for treasure next is Bestairy.
This is a 24 Page Article
This article is in part commentary on the value of things and a catalog of treasure. I found the first part very useful and adopted it wholesale for the Majestic Wilderlands as it fleshed out a mundane treasure a lot. The latter part has a lot of flavor but it is more tied to Harnmaster and the Harn setting.
The Value of Items
The advice is not give out the "value" as what the PCs get for it will be part of a subjective appraisal than a straight conversion into coin.
Treasure Register
Given the above the referee is advised to keep a secret treasure register where the generated value and characteristics are record.
Treasure Age
As part of this the age of the treasure is generated. While a bit fiddly, Harn does a good job of structuring it time period into something more managable than usual. There are seven time periods each a very distinctive time in Harn's history. The unclearest are the differences, between Modern, Middle , and Anicent. A better way to look at it would be Current Kingdom, Early in the Kingdom's history, pre-Kingdom history.
Treasure Condition
Next is the condition of the treasure when it is found. Pristine or corroded badly?
Personal Possessions
Next a useful series of tables to generate the possessions of a NPCs. I suggest making a possesion roster for common types of NPCs as it something you don't want to do during play. Possession can consist of Clothing, Armor, Silver/Gold, Usurer's Notes, Gems/Jewelry, Trade Goods, Misc Items, and Camping/Equipment.
Next are the detailed listing and treasure generation for different types of treasure.
Potions and Elixirs
Harn relies more on potions made from natural herbs than the traditional magic potion. For those of you who play classic D&D, I created my own take on this.
Gems and Jewelry
A detailed system for generating jewelry or unmounted gems. Very useful for other RPGs.
Written Works
Harnmaster put some emphasis on written works as mundane treasure. The result can be flavorful and sold to the right party can net the party quite a bit.
Mystic Tomes
Generating works of a magical nature. The main mechanical effect is improving one or more skills.
Armor and Weapons
This section generate armor and weapons as treasure. Focusing on the mundane effect like adornments and weapon quality.
Artifacts
These are the magic items of Harnmaster. They are divided into two groups, major artifacts and minor artifacts. Major artifacts invariably have personalities although not all of them are sentient. Major artifacts have multiple powers while minor artifacts have only one.
The rest of the article about artifacts talkes about the different type of personalities (artifical, natural). How does Harnmaster Magic work with artifacts. A summary of some Harnmaster Magic spells that could be part of a major artifact so you can make them without owning HM Magic. How some artifacts need mental attunement which in-game is a empathic bond with the artifact and not some artifical treasure limitation. Some ways to invoke the artifact powers. Finally how Artifacts are powered by magical charges.
Artifact example.
Earthmaster Artifacts
The last section, 3 pages, are a table and list of Earthmaster artifacts and their abilities. Earthmaster are the enigmatic precurser race found in Harn and left several extensive ruins.
Earthmaster Artifact example.
That it for treasure next is Bestairy.
robertsconley
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Bestairy
This is a 8 page article
While the Bestairy is only 8 pages the Harnmaster RPG comes with three additional article fully fleshing three types of creatures Gargun (Harnic Orcs), Ivashu (Divinely created monstrosities), and Yelgri (Harnic Harpies/Gargoyles).
Bestairy Stats
This this section explains how creatures are presented and what their attributes means. Like Runequest, GURPS, D&D 3.X and many other system, creatures have the same attributes as character. However due to the article format that Harn uses there also an abbreviated one line stat block also used especially in the Bestairy article itself.
Rather than go blow by blow it just easier to show by using the Yelgri statistics
Creatures have a description, Attributes, Skills, Armor rating, and often a custom strike location chart. Somewhat simaliar of Runequest.
This section also has notes on Ethereals or non-corporeal creatures. Basically only enchanted weapons and spells can effect them.
It also gives notes on making your own creature using charts like the below.
Special Cases
This section covers special attacks and abilities including: Acid, Attacks on Ships, Charging Attacks, Crushing Attacks (constrictors), Tangle Attacks, Tossing, Venomous Bites/Stings.
The remaining 5 pages of the article are series of landscape charts giving the short stat blocks of many mundance and magical Harnic creatures.
Gargun
This is a 12 page article detailing Gargun or Harnic Orcs
Gargun appeared relatively recently in Harnic history. Created or summoned by Harn's only empire building mage Lothrim the Foulspawner. After the fall of Lothrim's empire, his gargun servitors fled into the wilderness where they thrived after a fashion. Competing with barbarian tribes and isolated realms like the Dwarven kingdom of Azadmere.
There are several varieties of Gargun: Arak (Small Orc), Hyeka (Brown Orc), Khanu (Black Orc), Kyani (White Orc), and Viasal (Red Orc).
They have a unique biology in that each tribe is descended from a single queen who lays eggs that eventually hatch a gargun. The article goes into their history, culture, religion, and the different tribes as of 720 TR.
Ivashu
This is a 6 page article detailing the different varities of Ivashu. These are monsters created by the Harnic God Ilvir who is said to dwell in a tower in the center of the island. There are different varities along with unique creatures. This articles details the five most common that are encountered.
They are Aklash (the choking wind), Hru (Rock Giant), Nolah (Dank Stalker), Umbath (Bearer of the Mask), Vlasta (Eater of Eyes).
Some like the Nolah are reminiscence of a D&D monster like Trolls some like the Vlasta are their own special form of Harnic terror. However they all have unique spin due to their back story of being created by the god Ilvir.
Yelgri
This is a four page article.
This creatures is nicknamed the Harnic Harpy. It readly more like D&D's gargoyle but more mundane in origin. They are semi-intelligent and inhabit the mountainous regions of Harn.
Below is an example a naturalist style inhabited range chart that nearly all the creature articles use. This one is for the Yelgri
Wrapping it up
So that it for my overview of Harnmaster. Hope you enjoyed it, found it informative and will try out the system some day. It pricey but the quality is there and been the same since the mid 80s.
This is a 8 page article
While the Bestairy is only 8 pages the Harnmaster RPG comes with three additional article fully fleshing three types of creatures Gargun (Harnic Orcs), Ivashu (Divinely created monstrosities), and Yelgri (Harnic Harpies/Gargoyles).
Bestairy Stats
This this section explains how creatures are presented and what their attributes means. Like Runequest, GURPS, D&D 3.X and many other system, creatures have the same attributes as character. However due to the article format that Harn uses there also an abbreviated one line stat block also used especially in the Bestairy article itself.
Rather than go blow by blow it just easier to show by using the Yelgri statistics
Creatures have a description, Attributes, Skills, Armor rating, and often a custom strike location chart. Somewhat simaliar of Runequest.
This section also has notes on Ethereals or non-corporeal creatures. Basically only enchanted weapons and spells can effect them.
It also gives notes on making your own creature using charts like the below.
Special Cases
This section covers special attacks and abilities including: Acid, Attacks on Ships, Charging Attacks, Crushing Attacks (constrictors), Tangle Attacks, Tossing, Venomous Bites/Stings.
The remaining 5 pages of the article are series of landscape charts giving the short stat blocks of many mundance and magical Harnic creatures.
Gargun
This is a 12 page article detailing Gargun or Harnic Orcs
Gargun appeared relatively recently in Harnic history. Created or summoned by Harn's only empire building mage Lothrim the Foulspawner. After the fall of Lothrim's empire, his gargun servitors fled into the wilderness where they thrived after a fashion. Competing with barbarian tribes and isolated realms like the Dwarven kingdom of Azadmere.
There are several varieties of Gargun: Arak (Small Orc), Hyeka (Brown Orc), Khanu (Black Orc), Kyani (White Orc), and Viasal (Red Orc).
They have a unique biology in that each tribe is descended from a single queen who lays eggs that eventually hatch a gargun. The article goes into their history, culture, religion, and the different tribes as of 720 TR.
Ivashu
This is a 6 page article detailing the different varities of Ivashu. These are monsters created by the Harnic God Ilvir who is said to dwell in a tower in the center of the island. There are different varities along with unique creatures. This articles details the five most common that are encountered.
They are Aklash (the choking wind), Hru (Rock Giant), Nolah (Dank Stalker), Umbath (Bearer of the Mask), Vlasta (Eater of Eyes).
Some like the Nolah are reminiscence of a D&D monster like Trolls some like the Vlasta are their own special form of Harnic terror. However they all have unique spin due to their back story of being created by the god Ilvir.
Yelgri
This is a four page article.
This creatures is nicknamed the Harnic Harpy. It readly more like D&D's gargoyle but more mundane in origin. They are semi-intelligent and inhabit the mountainous regions of Harn.
Below is an example a naturalist style inhabited range chart that nearly all the creature articles use. This one is for the Yelgri
Wrapping it up
So that it for my overview of Harnmaster. Hope you enjoyed it, found it informative and will try out the system some day. It pricey but the quality is there and been the same since the mid 80s.
AsenRG
#FuckWotC #PlayNonDnDGames
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Thank you,
robertsconley 
!I've had Harn 3e for years now. The only thing that has been stopping me from using it is, amusingly, the presence of fantasy races and the overabundance of magic (the expected existance of a guild of Shek-Pvars is too much, IMO
).After reading your review, it's possible I might still get to it after my current campaign...but unless I screw it up, I don't expect that one to conclude in 2020, at best
!So, we'll see. But at least your review helped, if it matters to you
!
Tom B
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Thank you,
I've had Harn 3e for years now. The only thing that has been stopping me from using it is, amusingly, the presence of fantasy races and the overabundance of magic (the expected existance of a guild of Shek-Pvars is too much, IMO
After reading your review, it's possible I might still get to it after my current campaign...but unless I screw it up, I don't expect that one to conclude in 2020, at best
So, we'll see. But at least your review helped, if it matters to you
We've actually never had any non-Humans appear in any of our Harn games, except for brief involvement with Dwarves in one campaign. Both tend to have a small footprint and stay to themselves. If they didn't exist at all, it would have made very little difference in our past campaigns. As to magic, I would never describe it as "overabundant". Yes, there's a Guild, but there are only a few hundred mages in all of Harn. They certainly don't crop up frequently.
