Characters die when they reach a randomly selected specific age category, plus or minus a random number of years. The age categories old and venerable. These age categories are given for the original major races:
|
Race
|
Old from
|
to
|
Venerable from
|
to
|
|
Dwarf
|
251
|
350
|
351
|
450
|
|
Mountain Dwarf
|
276
|
400
|
401
|
525
|
|
Aquatic Elf
|
701
|
1000
|
1001
|
1200
|
|
Drow Elf
|
601
|
800
|
801
|
1000
|
|
Gray Elf
|
1001
|
1500
|
1501
|
2000
|
|
High Elf
|
876
|
1200
|
1201
|
1600
|
|
Wood Elf
|
801
|
1100
|
1101
|
1350
|
|
Gnome
|
451
|
600
|
601
|
750
|
|
Half-elf
|
176
|
250
|
251
|
325
|
|
Halfling
|
102
|
144
|
145
|
199
|
|
Half-orc
|
46
|
60
|
61
|
80
|
|
Human
|
61
|
90
|
91
|
120
|
All humans are treated as human, regardless of the original milieu.
Dwarf is the listing for Hill Dwarfs, Krynn Hill Dwarfs, and Aghar (Gully Dwarfs). Krynn Mountain Dwarfs and Duergar (Gray Dwarfs) follow the listing for Mountain Dwarf.
Of the elves, Wild Elves and Kagonesti are treated as Wood Elves. Valley Elves are treated as Gray Elves. High Elves includes Qualinesti and Silvanesti, and the Dimernesti and Dagonesti are Aquatic Elves.
All Gnomes are treated the same.
All Half-elves are treated the same.
Hengeyokai follow the chart for humans.
Kender are treated as halflings (hobbits), along with stouts, tallfellows, and hairfoots.
We treat Irda as Gray Elves.
Korobokuru, Spirit Folk, Minotaurs, and Trollborn are all treated as human.
In order to determine the age at death, several rolls must be made. The first is a d100, compared to this table, which gives the age category at which the character will die and the value of the next die to be rolled.
|
From
|
To
|
Character Age Category |
Roll
|
|
01
|
10
|
Old, Lowest Age |
+d8
|
|
11
|
25
|
Old, Highest Age |
-d4
|
|
26
|
60
|
Venerable, Lowest Age |
+d6
|
|
61
|
90
|
Venerable, Highest Age |
-(d10-1)*
|
|
91
|
00
|
Venerable, Highest Age |
+(d20-1)*
|
*These die rolls create a "0" possibility; it is most convenient to do this by allowing the "10" (or the "20") to equal "0" when rolled.
The next die roll indicates a number of years if the number of years in the age category is less than 100 years. That is, humans are "old" from 61 to 90, and "venerable" from 91 to 120, thirty years in each category; thus the die roll indicates a number of years to be added or subtracted from the age indicated. A human rolling an 11 on d100 would then roll a d4, and subtract that number of years from 90 for the age at which he will die. In addition to humans, Dwarfs (but not Mountain Dwarfs), Halflings, and Half-orcs always use this roll, and Venerable Half-elves use it.
If the age category is at least 100 years but not over 250 years, the die roll indicates a number of decades, and the age should be adjusted by a reduction of d10-1 years. Mountain Dwarfs and Gnomes always use this adjustment. Half-elves use it in the "old" age category, and elves other than Gray and High elves use it in the venerable category.
If the age category is greater than 250 years, the die roll indicates scores of years, and an adjustment of d20-1 years should be made. Only elves will use this adjustment. All of them will use it for the "old" age category, but only Gray and High elves (and those using that table) will use it for the "venerable" age category.
This gives the year, in terms of the character's age, in which he will die. Remember that longevity potions and other magics may reduce the character's age, and so extend the number of years he will live. By treating such reductions as direct effects on the recorded age of the character and saving the date of death in terms of the character's age (rather than a year on the referee's calendar) will permit this to work smoothly.
The referee will also wish to select the day on which the character will die, using the same system which is used to determine the day on which the character was born (unless there is a plot reason to identify a specific day as the predicted date of the character's death which would not comport with a randomized determination). As that will be dependent upon the referee's calendar, it is not given here.
The character should die on the day randomly determined when he is the age selected for his death. Note that this means that if he is magically aged to greater than that age, he might live until the day determined for him to die; and if he is youthened before that day arrives, he continues to live. However, the referee should consider how much older than this age is reasonable for the character to remain alive if aged past the date. Even so, it might be possible for a character who discovers the day on which he will die and then finds a way to eliminate that day from the calendar to live forever.
The site which inspired this site....
The best new role playing game....
A consideration of time travel....
Other writings by the author....
For your added enlightenment....