TIMELORDS
An NPC class for the
future, present & past

by
Lewis
Pulsipher


Chronal Powers - - - Reversible Powers
Dragon 65 - - - Dragon

Timelords are the elite military order of a mutated human
race. Most members of this race do not differ from normal
humans (except that very few are able to cast spells), but a few
have mutated enough to be able, with proper training, to manipulate
Time. An annual competition among 16-year-olds of at
least 15 intelligence determines which young men and women
will enter the Order of Timelords. They become Time initiates
after 2 years of intensive training and stimulation of the gland
which enables Timelords to alter time. Only members of the
mutated race possess this gland, so Timelords are exclusively
NPCs.

Timelords attack and save using the thief tables. Timelords
can use any weapon, just as a fighter, but gain weapon proficiency
as a thief. Timelords may use any magic item usable by
all classes, plus all rings, potions, and any item which affects
time (such as a Staff of Withering). A Timelord may not wear
metal armor while using his powers, because any large mass of
metal near his skin prevents him from calling on his chronal
energy. Timelords may use wooden shields at any time, and
metal shields subject to the above stipulation. Timelords’ hit
dice are 6-sided.

As a Timelord advances in experience levels, he experiments
and gains powers. His chronal energy also increases, as shown
in the accompanying table. Each use of a time-altering power
costs 1 chronal energy point per power level of the ability
being employed; the power level also indicates the minimum
experience level of Timelord able to use the power. Timelords
do not need to memorize powers.

An unwilling TARGET of a Timelord power is allowed a saving
throw vs. wands. The time manipulations are not spells and
consequently are unaffected by anti-magic spells or devices,
though a Ring of Protection, for example, would affect the
saving throw.

1. SUBCLASS = n/a
2. SOCIAL CLASS MINIMUM =
3. ABILITY SCORE MINIMUMS
    STRENGTH =
    INTELLIGENCE =
    WISDOM =
    DEXTERITY =
    CONSTITUTION =
    CHARISMA =
    COMELINESS =
4. POSSIBLE RACES & MAX. LEVEL ATTAINABLE = human(mutant)
5. MULTI-CLASS POSSIBILITIES =
6. HIT DIE TYPE = d6
7. MAXIMUM NUMBER OF HIT DICE =
8. SPELL ABILITY =
9. ARMOR PERMITTED = no metal armor
10. SHIELD PERMITTED = wooden only
11. WEAPONS PERMITTED = any
12. OIL PERMITTED =
13. POISON PERMITTED =
14. ALIGNMENT =
15. STARTING MONEY =
16. WEAPON PROFICIENCIES = as thief
17. NON-PROFICIENCY PENALTY =
18. NON-WEAPON PROFICIENCIES =
19. STARTING AGE =
20. COMBAT = thief
21. SAVING THROWS = thief
22. MAGIC ITEMS =
 
XP Level 6-sided Dice for HP Title Chronal points for energy
0 — 2,000 1 1 Timeinitiate 1
2,001 — 4,000 2 2 Timeleader 3
4,001 — 8,000 3 3 Timechief 6
8,001 — 16,000 4 4 Timecommander 10
16,001 — 32,000 5 5 Timemaster 15
32,001 — 50,000 6 6 Timelord 21
50,001 — 100,000 7 7 Timephilosopher 28
100,001 — 250,000 8 8 Chronos 36
250,001 — 400,000 9 9 Chronos, 2nd 45
400,001 — 550,000 10 10 Chronos, 3rd 55
550,001 — 700,000 11 10+1 Chronos, 4th 66

<check table>

150,000 experience points per level for each additional
level beyond the 11th.

Timelords gain 1 h.p. per level, and additional chronal
energy points equal to the new level number, for each
level after the 11th.

Chronal powers

Level One (usable by any Timelords)

Hasten Individual — Range 6” (self possible), duration 11-30
(d20 + 10) melee & rounds. Recipient moves 50% faster, including
the gain of 3 attacks per 2 rounds if this or a better ability
is not already possessed. This effect does not age the recipient.

Slow Individual — Range 6”, duration 3 turns. 1 creature
of size S or M may be affected. Victim moves at 1/2 SPEED
and attacks every other melee round.

Move Self Forward in Time

The Timelord disappears, then
reappears some number of rounds later in the same place. He
may use other powers while in “limbo,“ or change weapons, but
he must return in the same place. Whatever he is carrying, even
another person, goes along with him. He must specify how
many rounds forward he will move when he goes; the maximum
is 2 rounds per experience level of the Timelord. (A favorite
Timelord tactic is to move forward in Time so as to reappear
while the hapless adventurers are “looking for treasure,” thinking
the Timelord has teleported away.)

Move Object Forward in Time — Range 6”, maximum duration
1 turn per level of the Timelord. A non-living object not
near any living thing — for example, not someone’s armor
— moves forward in Time. Maximum volume is 1 cubic foot
per level of the Timelord.

See Past of a Place — The Timelord can see a period of Time
from the past of the place he occupies — a room, for example,
but not an entire dungeon at once. The length of this period of
viewing is 10% of the maximum distance into the past the
Timelord is able to reach, which is 5 days per level. For instance,
a 3rd-level Timelord can see as far as 15 days into the
past and can view a time period of 1½ days duration, starting
anywhere from 1½ days to 15 days prior to the present time. The
Timelord may choose to view the past at an accelerated rate, up
to 24 times normal speed (at which rate a day’s events would be
shown in an hour of actual time). At the DM’s discretion, the
Timelord may fail to notice details — or perhaps even important
facts — depending on how rapidly the scenes of past events are
racing through his view.

See Past of a Person — This is similar to See Past of a Place,
but a Timelord must touch the person or being in question. That
person or being need not be alive at the Time.

Suspend Animation — This is similar to the psionic discipline
of the same name. The Timelord may suspend himself for a
maximum of 1 week per experience level.

Level Three (usable by Timelords of 3rd level or higher)

Hasten Group — This is similar to Hasten Individual, but from
2-16 creatures may be affected, any or all within a range of 1”.

SPEED Individual — Range 6” (self possible), duration 10-30
(d20 + 10) rounds. Recipient moves 100% faster, including the
gain of 2 attacks per melee round if such an ability is not
already possessed. When the duration expires, the recipient is
exhausted for an identical length of Time, but (as with the
Hasten powers) is not aged.

Slow Monster— This is similar to Slow Individual, but affects
a creature of any size.

Slow Group — This is similar to Slow Individual except that
2-12 creatures of size S or M are affected.

Move Own Group Forward in Time — A maximum of one
creature per experience level of the Timelord, if within a 10-foot
radius of him, may be moved forward in time. The maximum
interval is two rounds per level of Timelord. Only those willing
to go may be affected.

See Possible Future of a Place

The Timelord can see a
possible future of the place he occupies — a room, for example,
but not a castle or a country. The maximum “distance” he may
see into the future is a number of days equal to his experience
level minus 2. The maximum period of Time he may view is
1/12 of his maximum “distance,” and this viewing may be accelerated
as with See Past. The DM must select some fairly
likely (or not-so-unlikely) event to show to the Timelord. Since
the future is a matter of probability, not certainty, it is not
necessary for this event to take place when its time comes.

Age Non-living Matter — Any matter or substance which is
not presently alive can be aged by use of this power. The weight
limit is 10 pounds per level of the Timelord, and the maximum
amount of aging is 10 years per level of the Timelord. The
Timelord must be within 1” of the object of the power. For
example, a <Wizards>’s robes (including all the material components
stored therein) might be aged to destruction.

Move Single Enemy Forward in Time — Range 1”, maximum
interval 1 round per Timelord level. The victim reappears at
the appointed time, unaware of what has happened to him.

Level Five (usable by Timelords of 5th level or higher)
SPEED Group — This is similar to SPEED Individual, but 2-16
beings of size S or M can be affected.

Slow Group of Monsters — This is similar to Slow Monster,
but 2-16 beings of any size can be affected.

Move Enemy Group Forward in Time — Range 1”. All enemies
within 10 feet of the target point are affected. The maximum
number which may be affected is equal to the Timelord’s
level (and remember that all get saving throws); the maximum
interval forward is one round per level of the Timelord.

See Possible Future of a Person — This is similar to See
Possible Future of a Place, but the Timelord must touch the
person (who must be alive) and the maximum interval forward
is a number of days equal to the Timelord’s level minus four.

Age Non-human Living Matter — Range 1”. The Timelord
can age any creature which is not vulnerable to a Charm Person
spell, with a maximum aging of 2½ years per level of the Timelord.
Victims are matured physically but not mentally by such
aging.

Level Seven (usable by Timelords of 7th level or higher)

Move Spell Forward in Time — The Timelord may move a
spell CAST by someone in his party, and which has a physical
manifestation (such as a wall of stone or a fireball) that he has
seen before. The spell gets a save as though it were a
<Wizard> of the spell’s level. The maximum interval a spell
can be sent forward is 1 round per level of Timelord, divided
by the level of the spell (round down to the nearest round).

Partial Time Stop — This works like the ninth-level magicuser
spell Time Stop, but only one creature is affected and a
saving throw is allowed.

Age Humanoid — Range 1”. This power ages anyone subject
to a Charm Person spell, up to a maximum of 2½ years per level
of the Timelord level. This effect may be counteracted by a
longevity potion.

Alter Past — Range 2”. The Timelord is able to attempt to
alter some action which occurred in the immediately preceding
round. Usually this will amount to someone rolling a saving
throw again, or re-rolling an attack or damage die. The DM
must ensure that this is a limited power. When the power is used
in an attempt to adversely affect an opponent, that character or
creature is allowed a save.

Temporal Stasis — Range 1”. This has the same effect as the
ninth-level <Wizard> spell of the same name.

Level Eight (usable by Timelords of 8th level or higher)

Time Stop — This is similar to THE <WIZARD> of the
same name, but a saving throw is allowed.

Superage — Range 1”. By aging the target at a fantastic rate,
this power has the same effect as a disintegrate spell. However,
it can be reversed by another Timelord.

Level Ten (usable by Timelords of 10th level or higher)

Time Stop Group — This has the effect of THE <WIZARD>
Time Stop spell, but a save is allowed. All affected creatures
must be within 1” of the Timelord, and the maximum number
which may be affected is equal to the Timelord’s level.


 

Reversible powers
Only the 4 aging powers (Age Non-living Matter, Age
Non-human Living Matter, Age Human, and Superage) can be
reversed by a Timelord. The experience level needed to perform
the reversed form is one higher than that needed for the
non-reversed form. Reversal can affect only a Timelord-caused
change so that, for example, the reverse of Age Human cannot
counteract the effect of a Staff of Withering.

Timelords have been conceived primarily as “monsters,” not
as a non-player aid to adventurers, though on occasion they
might prove helpful. Timelords should not be very powerful, but
they can be puzzling and surprising to an adventuring party.

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