Wherein your humble scribe presents another entry in an irregular series of Adventuring Parties for Labyrinth Lord/Advanced Edition Companion. These characters are all 1st level, were granted maximum HP (Advanced Style), and have a bare minimum of equipment. They were all created with 3d6 for stats, more often than not in order.
This time around the focus is on psionic characters using the information from the Basic Psionics Handbook from New Big Dragon Games. Specifically for this entry, the party’s comprised entirely of standard class characters that have all tested out to be in possession of Wild Psionics as described on p. 46 of the BPH.
Guided by the words of the Diamond Sutra, two Ghoii, two Heyamii, two Narvatii, and a couple of castless handlers of the items of the dead ride out from Bhaaram Vaat in search of the lost treasures of the ancients. Their elephants well trained in the arts of battle, their weapons consecrated against the unliving terrors that reside deep within the jungles. What they will find beyond the shining city will may shake the foundations of the world.
Gho Dagaash/ Human Cleric 1 LG
STR 12 INT 9 WIS 16 DEX 4 CON 10 CHR 13
PSP 1 HP 8 AC 6 Gold 28
Mace, Sling, Chain Mail, Shield, Silver Holy Symbol
Psionic Abilities: Clairaudience (Clairsentient), Control Flames (Psychokinetic)
Cleric Spells: Detect Magic, Light, Remove Fear
Gho Kalii / Human Cleric 1 NG
STR 12 INT 14 WIS 15 DEX 14 CON 10 CHR 17
PSP 1 HP 8 AC 3 Gold 30
Heavy Flail, Sling, Banded Mail, Silver Holy Symbol
Psionic Abilities: Hypnosis (Telepathic)
Cleric Spells: Cure Light Wounds, Resist Cold, Sanctuary
Heyam Diisu / Human Fighter 1 LN
STR 16 INT 10 WIS 11 DEX 9 CON 8 CHR 14
PSP 1 HP 9 AC 5 Gold 9
Tulwar, Scale Mail, Short Bow, Quiver w/ 20 Arrows, Shield, 50′ Rope
Psionic Abilities: Dream Travel, Time Leap (Psychoportative)
Heyam Tikkaraal / Human Fighter 1 NG
STR 13 INT 9 WIS 14 DEX 9 CON 4 CHR 9
PSP X HP 8 AC 4 Gold 36
Scimitar, Kris, Light Crossbow, Case w/ 10 Quarrels, Chain Mail, Shield, Small Steel Mirror
Psionic Abilities: Control temperature (Psychokintetic)
Narvat Shaash / Human Magic-User 1 CG
STR 11 INT 13 WIS 11 DEX 11 CON 13 CHR 11
PSP 1 HP 5 AC 9 Gold 113
2 Silver Kris, Spell Book, 8 Torches, Flint & Steel
Psionic Abilities: Chameleon Ability, Expansion (Psychometabolic)
MU Spells: Comprehend Languages, Erase, Jump, Read Languages, Read Magic
Narvat Diil / Human Magic-User 1 NG
STR 12 INT 16 WIS 9 DEX 10 CON 13 CHR 5
PSP 1 HP 5 AC 9 Gold 131
Quarterstaff, Spell Book, 12 Iron Spikes, Hammer
Psionic Abilities: Body weaponry (Psychometabolic)
MU Spells: Detect Magic, Feather Fall, Magic Aura, Shocking Grasp, Sleep, Ventriloquism
Priyat / Human Thief 1 N
STR 17 INT 12 WIS 14 DEX 18 CON 13 CHR 6
PSP 3 HP 7 AC 5 Gold 89
2 Hand Axes, 6 Chakram, Leather Armor, Thieves’ Tools
Psionic Abilities: Mass Domination (Telepathic)
Lagam / Human Thief 1 N
STR 9 INT 11 WIS 14 DEX 15 CON 11 CHR 11
PSP 1 HP 6 AC 7 Gold 42
2 Hand Axes, 6 Charkram, Leather Armor, Thieves’ Tools
Psionic Abilities: Know Location (Clairsentient)
Fantasy goes together with ancient India just like ‘aloo’ goes with ‘matar’ (and now I’m hungry, thank you very much). I’m picturing psionics in this setting as sort of yoga-like esoteric internal powers, gained after years of sitting in the lotus position and practicing mudras.
Great stuff as usual, V.P. Do you have a go-to source for Indian themed gaming material? They were going to put out a GURPS India book at one point, but it never saw light.
As always, glad to know you dig it, G! And yes, these are two great tastes that go great together. When you finally get yourself to Austin remind me there’s a restaurant I need to take you to. Well, quite a few more than one. But one particular Indian joint comes to mind at the moment.
As I was working on this the setting kinda started to gel in my head a bit and it matches your vision for the most part. Psionics would definitely be something learned/earned/developed rather than strictly “wild” as would be the default case in D&D. Part of the reason I threw the fancy faux-Hindi class names was that I envisioned a situation where Psi types would be considered almost a different class from non-Psis. Thus a Gho is a Cleric, but a Cleric isn’t necessarily a Gho. The culture reveres the level of training and dedication that these types of individuals display and honor them appropriately. Except for the casteless handlers of the dead. They’re better than plain old thieves, but only by dint of their devotion.
I don’t actually have any kind of specific source for Indian themed geekery, no. I usually just search the internet for whatever topic and run with it. Usually with a little randomly chosen sitar & tabla music on in the background. Or Opium Jukebox’s crazy Black Sabbath bahngra album.
A GURPS India book would have been sweet, though.