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Since the beginning of recorded history, perhaps one in a hundred thousand humans have been born with a unique blend of abilities that compells them to battle one another while concealing their gifts from the eyes of mortal man. These immortals have existing for as long as civilisation, and will continue to exist, until such a time as the Gathering occurs. Legends state that the immortals will continue to fight until only a few remain, then those will feel a compulsion to travel to a far-off land and battle for the ultimate prize. Twice in the history of the immortals the gathering has occured, both times, not all immortals heeded the call and as such the prize remained uncaptured. What is the prize perhaps only Methos, the oldest surviving Immortal knew, but he was killed by another, and his quickening, or life essence, transferred into this other without all of Methos' knowledge or experience. To Date, no Immortal truly knows what the Prize is, but there are many theories.
Some 15,000 years ago, during the final years of the last age of Magic, a group of immortals, led by the self-styled General Katana, attempted to overthrow the ruling government of an Atlantean sect called the Warrior-Priesthood. During this ages long conflict, many immortals, who were considered unholy by the warrior-priests, wee banished into the future by their magic and technowizardry.
In the mid-20th century, the gathering first became felt by the surviving immortals, both those who had been born with the unique genetic ability, and those who had survived the Atlantean banishment. This First Gathering culminated in a battle in the early 1980's between one Connor McLeod and Victor Kurgan. Connor emerged victorious, and for a few seconds, held the prize within his body. But, the Gathering hd not finished, as more immortals soon awakened and continued to putrsue their own agendas. McLeod's Prize faded from his grasp and his memory, but left him with the ability to age.
In the mid 21st Century, the 2nd Gathering occured, Connor McLeod, having felt the Prize, was not aware of this event, and continued on his own survivalist agenda, but one of his bloodkin, Duncan McLeod, emerged the victor after having battled the likes of Kalas and Xavier. Duncan held the prize for a few seconds too, then, like his kin, it faded away and he too, gained the ability to age.
The 3rd Gathering culminated on December 22nd, 2098. Two years after Duncan McLeod's death from old age and twenty-six years after Connor McLeod's Death, a third group of immortals battled for the prize. The Victor, one Justin Morrigan, killed his final opponent ten seconds before the Great Cataclysm occured. When the quickening surged from the fallen immortal into Justin's body, it was accompanied by the energy of the emerging ley lines. Justin was blown apart by the power surge.
But, the cycle never ends. After the time of rifts, new immortals were again born and raised into a dramatically changed world. As they died their first death, and awakened as immortals, some were cast out of their villages, others were killed again and again as witches, demons, or unholy terrors. Luckily, not all immortals had remained on Earth. Some, during the last age of magic, had travelled with the Atlanteans to other dimensions and worlds, where their quickening ability kept them alive, but they did not feel the call of the gathering. Some of those immortals returned to the changed earth, and began the task of finding and educating these newly awakened Immortals in the rules and obligations of their abilities.
As a rule, the Immortals have found it easier to hide themselves from other magical or Psionically active beings, favouring the isolated regions where their skills can be used to their own or other peoples' benefit with litle chance of a magically or Psionically awakened person detecting their energies or aura. Few Immortals venture into the Coalition States, and of the handful that has approached, none have returned, nor were those few ever heard from again.
Because the Quickening is a Psionic ability, Highlander-Class Immortals, do NOT radiate magic. A See Aura will not reveal any PPE in the Immortal at all, and an Immortal cannot be tracked by magical means. In fact, any form of detect magic or anything of that nature will reveal a distinct void where the immortal stands - in some ways as characteristic as them radiating maic. This has not yet been explained. Psionic means, however, work well against Immortals, with ready evidence of a Psionic signature anywhere near where they had been in combat up to 48 hours before.
Stats- 3d6 for each stat.
Hit Points: PE +4d6
SDC: 6d6
ISP: ME +3d6
PPE: 4d6
Racial Abilities:
Bio-Regeneration Resist Fatigue - In Combat only Total Recall - Life History Detect Psionics - Only vs. Highlander-Class Immortals Presence Sense See Aura Sixth Ssnse - Only vs. Highlander-Class ImmortalsAll racial abilities are always active and cannot be turned on or off. Note that although the Bio-Regeneration operates as per the RIFTs Psionics rules, it will not heal internal damage to the neck at 100% efficiency, only to functionality.
In addition, all Highlander-Class Immortlas have access to the following Psionic Abilities. The Immortal may choose any one power from the list below for every three levels of OCC he/or she has. This means that an Immortal with 18 levels of OCC can choose any six abilities from the list below, but must acquire another three skill levels before choosing a 7th. Highlander-Class Immortals are considered Major Psionics. All ISP is recovered automatically at 1 point/hour regardless of what the character is doing. If at rest, 4 ISP per hour is recovered.
Deaden Pain Impervious to Cold Impervious to Fire Impervious to Poison/Toxin Resist Hunger Resist Thirst Summon Inner Strength Sense Evil Sense Magic Speed Reading Hypnotic Suggestion Psi-Sword Mind-Block Auto-DefenseMagic Spells & Access
Highlander-Class Immortals have access to any sphere of magic, but learn at only 1/4 the rate of other practitioners of Magic. Also, they must learn and experiment by themselves with no outside help. Some have postulated that this is in some way a limiting factor placed on the immortals by the Atlanteans so long ago to avoid the Immortals learning magic to the same level.
If an immortal takes the quickening of another Immortal who knows magic, then the victor also knows that magic, but muxt experiment with it for a week per level of each spell to understand how to use the newly acquired magic properly.
Highlander-Class Immortals generally choose combat skills that will complement their abilities. Their preferred weapon is a sword, because a clean cut to the neck is the best way to receive another immortal's quickening, regardless of the situation.
All Immortals over the age of 350, or any immortal who has an Immortal Mentor, have learned the Combat Skill: Highlander Sword Combat.
Highlander Sword Combat
Level 1 Two Attacks per melee, +2 Parry, +1 Roll/Pull punch 2 +1 Strike, +1 Dodge 3 Kick Attack - 1d8, Knockout-Stun 18+ 4 Death Blow - 20 5 Critical Strike 18+, +1 Parry 6 +2 Damage 7 +1 Attack, +1 Damage, +1 Parry/Dodge 8 +2 Strike, +2 Parry, +1 Damage 9 +1 Attack, Bullet Parry 10 +1 Strike/Parry/Dodge 11 Critical Strike 16+ 12 +1 Attack 13 Paired Weapons 14 +1 Attack, Stun on 16+ 15 +1 Attack, Energy ParryWhen creating a highlander-Class Immortal, roll on the table below to determine the age, if not developing a new immortal:
d100 Result OCC Skill Levels 01-10 2000+ years old 45 11-25 1500-2000 years old 35 26-40 1000 - 1499 years old 30 41 - 60 500 - 999 years old 25 61 - 80 201 - 499 years old 20 81 - 00 up to 200 years old 15All the normal rules about OCC levels apply, ie; You must be at least 3rd level in one OCC before changing to another, and at that point, the first OCC stops accumulating skill points, etc.
The only other major item is the Highlander-Class Immortal's Quickening sensations. This is a new Psionic power called the Quickening, and ONLY Highlander-Class Immortals can have this ability. It cannot be taught, nor can it be transferred to another person by any means, magical or mundane.
The Quickening:
The Quickening is a very special repository of both knowledge and power held by every Highlander-Class Immortal. It gives the following bonuses and effects:
Empathy - Animal Lifeform
This enables the Highlander-Class Immortal to empathically communicate to an animal of up to IQ9. It is a partial two-way street. The Immortal will feel the animal's agitation and the animal will feel some of the Immortal's Emotions.
ISP Transfer
This ability occurs when one Immortal kills another. At the moment of death, all the deceased immortals' ISP is transferred to the survivor's total in a brilliant flash of discharge, much like a small Ley Line Eruption. The collateral damage is 2d6 SDC per 10 ISP transferred in a (ISP) foot radius around the combatants and is a form of static energy discharge. This transfer also gives the victor access to all Psionic Powers held by the slain Immortal if not already held by the victor.
PPE Transfer
This ability, like the ISP Transfer, enables the Highlander-Class Immortal to increase his/her natural PPE by the level of the slain opponent. The Immortal also receives the ability to learn any magic known to his opponent, but cannot immediately use it. He/she must train at it for one week/level of the spell before being able to use the magic competantly.
Upon death, a Highlander-Class Immortal's ISP and PPE will be unleashed and will flow into the bodies of any other Immortals in the area. A Mage can drain the PPE energy as per normal, but it will have a tainted aftertaste, and the mage will only get 70% of the PPE he would normally receive at the death of the character.
Retrofitting Existing Characters
To make an existing character into a Highlander-Class Immortal he or she must be:
Human or True Atlantean with less than six tattoos
Must die, ie; be reduced to between 0 and negative Hit Points
When these events occur, at the Referee's discretion, the character can awaken up to 24 hours later, fully healed, remembering the events up to their death, being very confused. The character should get the racial abilities, and now have access to the other abilities listed. The Character's existing XP total is reset to his/her level +1. Any OCC's already gained are retained, but the character must begin again to build up XP. Also, the character will have NO knowledge of these events at all - except to know tht he or she died, and got better.
It is advisable for the referee to have another immortal appear and act as a Ramirez to the new Connor McLeod, but playing a Highlander-Class immortal does not have much benefit unless other immortals are met and battled, befriended, beheaded, by the character. It is a step that can dramatically alter the entire campaign setting, because some dimensional beings may hunt these immortals for reasons unknown. The Coalition may have discovered what makes them tick, and may want more bits to experiment on.