Welcome to the Steam Age

Magic - still the same basic principles as before, except casting requires a 'Principles of Magic' Skill check. Full casting time rules are used, spells go off as the last action of casting; however, dodging is possible while casting (it just imposes penalties).

	Penalties List:
		-5%	Casting in Combat (in general, more stressful) 
		-10%	... while dodging 

   Component Types:
	Archanist/Sorcerer 	- Components (Verbal, Material, Action)
	Religious/Priestly	- Components (Verbal [God], Faith)
	         /Paladin  	- Components (Faith, Action)
        Technowizardry		- Components (Material, Action)
        Witch/Warlock		- Components (Faith, Action)
	Mystic/Native		- Components (Verbal, Action)

All magic requires some components to envoke. Although spells from one OCC to the next may be identical, they way they are cast varies. Verbal components are spoken words and phrases, such as speaking the "Language of Magic" or envoking the name of one's god. Action components are motions (like hand gestures) or, in the case of the Paladin, special attacks. Material components for a standard sorcerer are consumed in casting and vary from spell to spell. For a Technowizard the material components are devices 'constructed' to cast the desired spell, and must be built as described under the OCC.
The Faith component is a code of conduct which must be followed by the magic user. For the Religious/Priestly casters, this is simply a devotion to their faith. Witches and Warlocks must form a Pact as their component of Faith, this will require serving a greater entity as designated in the pact. Yes, this means Warlock players are most likely bound to a master or guild.

To simplify the concept of material components, such things are always small amounts, and related to the spell. Any element manipulated through the spell generally needs representation in the casting. Earth is represented with clay, water with any handy liquid, air with sand or dust, fire/energy with "black powder" (generally combusted in casting) or ash, and metal with iron or copper. A general overview of the spell's description will usually find a tie-in with one of these elements, anything that doesn't, may be creatively filled in by the mage (or GM). (Example: Armor of Ithan would simply require a combination of metal and air elements.)
Offensive spells tend to focus on energy/fire elements, Defensive spells on wind and iron, and Healing spells on earth and water. Small pouches will generally hold 5-8 castings worth of an element, and a wizard can easilly carry up to 12 pouches. Players will have to keep track of how many uses they have of each element.

Magic OCCs
As Magic tends to consume great amounts of money, and require a higher education. Most normal mages and technowizards are from the upper class. Mystics and Witches tend to spawn from the wilderness, and the Clery from the middle classes. Psychics can develop at any level or society; however, one must be able to afford an education to become a Mind Mage. Thus lower class psychics tend to remain untrained, or are taken in by the churches to learn the healing arts.
In the areas less dominated by technology, magic is taught to those who show and interest or aptitude. Such mages are often trained with a prejudice against technology, and are required to spend some time after their training in service to their guild.
Most of the old Magic OCCs are still valid. Priests find their prayers answered less frequently (half the usual percentage) unless they are inside a temple to their god.
Palladin Adjustment: The Palladin is effectively the same as before in reguards to skills and apecial abilities; however, now, at 6th level they can learn spells in the same manner as the Priest of Light/Dark, depending on what god they follow. This is the same as the 3rd level Priest ability.

  
NEW Magic OCCs

	Street Mage - Components (Verbal, Material, Action) - Thief/Mage

	Steam Mage/Technowizard - Components (Material, Action)  

New and Old Men-of-Arms
Most Palladium Fantasy OCCs are still valid, as the world is still adjusting. Men of arms may opt to learn to use "modern" weapons. GM disgression may allow OCCs which do not start with WP options may trade one in for a "modern" WP.

  Suggested/Easilly Allowable OCCs:
	Soldier ; Mercenary ; Ranger ; Thief ; Assassin ; Swachbuckler ; 
	Martial Artist ; Gladiator ; Pirate ; Acrobat ; Actor ; etc...

  New OCCs:

	Duelist / 'Slinger   - Quickdraw Pistol Specialist

	Sharpshooter - Rifle Specialist

	Range Rider / Justice Bringer - "Modern" Knight / Lawman
 
        Sport Fighter - Bare-knuckle boxers and pit fighters.

        Repairist Engineer - Non-combat, scientist type.

Unless the GM creates some genius inventor to supply the group, there are no specialty ammunitions. The material the shot consists of may be changed, but the bullet itself has no special properties. There are no "hollow point" rounds, nor any "jacketed" ammunition, and telfon bullets certainly don't exist.
Firearms are still fairly powerful. As they tend to blow through armor quickly (ignore soft armors, -3 to AR of hard/heavy armors unless Dwarven or magical), most people rely on their agility or magical armors. Wealthy people generally find an object enchanted to cast Armor of Ithan 1x/day is expensive, but the best protection they can buy.
Modern Firearms Companies
Most firearms are crafted by alchemists and blacksmiths (usually working together), and made-to-order, however, military institutions have recently learned the benifits of standardized parts. Also, fo civilians, Grombli Industries provides similarly standardized weapons.

Healing and Medicine
Although medical skills exist, they are still liitle better than the medicine of Palladium Fantasy. Technology has allowed much of the world to develop but, the medical practices have been dominated by the clergy and psychic healers. The healing occupations are fairly evenly split between Clegy and Psychics. Most psi-healers recieved their training from other of the same profession, or in the churches. There is no real compitition between the two healer types, psi-healers tend to accept a wider clientel (the religious healers also tend to chage more to those who are not of their faith.)

Technology Levels
The Steam Age is still primarily located in the cities and fortresses of civilization, it has not quite reached throughout the wilderness. Great railways streach from kingdom to kingdom, and some have their own internal railways, but these are still fairly expensive to travel along. Mass production of weapons and machinery is in early stages, with a few kingdoms leading the way, but some kingdoms are still bound to the old ways of magic. Those with primarily Elven, or similarly magicaly inclined races, tend to favor magic over technology, as do most wilderness races. Within the Domain of Man, and the kingdoms of the Dwarves railways can be found on many of the major trade routs. The royalty and wealthy of major cities may have personal, steam-powered vehicles.
On the waterways, steam-powered vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, and roughly half of all sea-going vessels have a steam engine for at least backup. Roadways still rely on animal-drawn vehicles as the primart transportatation. Unless it's as large as a locomotive, one could safely assume a steam-powered vehicle cannot travel between towns easilly. Airships are still being developed. Most civilized races have acknowledged the need for air superiority, but development is slow. Most such advances are made by dwarven and gnomish inventors, but so far, only a few kingdoms can afford the technology. For the most part, Airships are basically dergibles and hot-air balloons.

As a reminder, we must mention that this is a mechanical age, not electrical. There are no computers as seen in the modern age. Mechanical computation devices are impractical, consisting of hundreds of gears and handles. Such machines are generally designed to only compute simple mathmatics, and even then, most can only work one or two calculations (total, a new machine must be buit to work another calculation).

New Skills - a quick overview
	WP: Black Powder - as per Modern, covers the use of mussel-loaded
			weapons (muskets and whatnot)
	WP: Pistols/Revolvers - Modern, as normal, but also includes
			hand-packed revolvers and dueling pistols.
	WP: Rifle/Shotgun - Modern, as normal
	WP: Grenade Throwing - covers the use of primitive grenades (those with
			wick/fuses.
	WP: Advanced Guns - Specialty (Requires Chemestry and basic mechanical
			skills), Covers the use of Lightning Guns, Flame
			Throwers, and the principles behind other Steam Age
			specialty weapons.
	WP: Quickdraw - 2 slots, must be selected for Pistols or knives.  Allows
			a character to draw a weapon and throw/fire it in a 
			single action.  The attack is non-called, flat roll
			only.  Using this at the start of a melee provides
			a +1 to initiative at levels 1, 5, 10, and 15.
                        CANNOT be paired, and the character can only have 1
			quickdraw skill.
	Principles of Magic - Automatic to all Magic Users, used for spell
			casting.  Until I find the listing which says otherwise
			the is normally 60% +5%/lvl.  Not available to
			non-"men of magic"
	Pilot: Steam Engine : Large - an understanding of the steam engines
			used to power railways and steam ships.  40% + 5%/lvl.
	Pilot: Steam Engine : Small - Understands the basic mechanics of the 
			"compresed" steam engines, and can pilot personal
			"steam wagons."  50% + 5%/lvl