The biggest modification to the rules that I've made is trying to reconcile the differences in ley line effects across the Palladium game books. Yes, I know that each world has a different level of power - I am not trying to make them all the same. However, in Rifts® and Nightbane(TM) characters on nexus points gain 30x or 15x their level per 6 hours, while in Palladium's Fantasy RPG(TM) and Heroes Unlimited(TM) characters get 20 PER ROUND! Over the 6 hour period, that's 28,800 PPE for a first level mage! Yes, a high level mage can draw on more power for a single spell in Rifts Earth, but overall the power available from the "weaker" ley lines in the Fantasy and HU settings seems much more potent. So, in effect, I have taken the per-round bonuses to PPE from the weaker magic settings and included them in the more potent magic settings.
These rivers of power permeate the Earth, often running well below, but occasionally rising to, the surface. In any given 10,000 square mile area (100 x 100 miles), there will be a random number of ley line segments running along the surface. When a ley line surfaces, it will generally run for an average of several dozen miles before disappearing again into the earth. Assume that each ley line has a 10% chance of being much longer (1d6x5 times longer) and a 10% chance of being much shorter (only 1d6x5%).
On rare worlds, like Rifts Earth, ley lines are visible at ranges of 1/4 mile to 5 miles or more, depending on their strength and whether it is day or night. In the rest of the multiverse, some varieties of mages and supernatural beings can see the energy of ley lines at ranges of a mile or more. However, all mages, mystics and psionic sensitives can sense when they are within 100 yards of a ley line because of a vague feeling of energy flowing around them (requires a moderate difficulty perception roll).
Where two or more ley lines meet and cross, a power point called a nexus forms. The energy flows in a nexus are much stronger than in individual ley lines, and affect a larger area. The number of nexus points per 100x100 mile area is listed as a percentage of the number of ley lines. For example, if there are 10 ley line segments and a rating of 20% for nexus points, there would be 2 places where ley lines cross in that region. Depending on the whim of the GM, the nexus could be where 2 ley lines meet, meaning 8 ley lines in that region never intersect (on the surface of the world), or the nexus point could be formed by more than 2 ley lines meeting at the same place.
On Rifts Earth, nexus points can be seen at a distance of 5 miles or more. On other worlds, some varieties of mages and supernatural beings can see the energy of nexus points at ranges of five miles or more. However, all mages, mystics and psionic sensitives can sense when they are within a mile of a nexus because of a vague feeling of raw energy flowing around them (requires a moderate difficulty perception roll). When within 100 yards, the feeling of energy flowing around becomes obvious (no perception roll needed), and the sensitive can begin to feel a mild natural euphoria.
| Rifts | Nightbane | Palladium RPG | Heroes Unlimited
| Frequency of Ley Lines
| 2d6 / 10,000 sq miles
| 2d6 / 10,000 sq miles
| 2d4 / 10,000 sq miles
| 2d4 / 10,000 sq miles
| Avg. Length on Surface
| 3d6 x10 miles
| 2d6 x10 miles
| 1d6 x10 miles
| 6d6 miles
| Frequency of Nexus Points
| 2d4 x5%
| 2d4 x5%
| 1d6 x5%
| 1d6 x5%
| Effects within 2 miles of a ley line
| +50% range and duration
| +50% range and duration
| +20% range and duration
| +20% range and duration
| Effects when on a ley line or when within 1 mile of a nexus
| x2 range, duration and damage | +10 PPE each round +10 PPE per lvl per 12 hrs recover 10 PPE per half hour x2 range, duration and damage | +10 PPE each round +5 PPE per lvl per 12 hrs recover 10 PPE per half hour +50% range, duration, damage | +10 PPE each round recover 10 PPE per half hour +50% range, duration, damage | +10 PPE each round recover 10 PPE per half hour Effects when on a nexus
| x3 range, duration and damage | +2 vs magic and horror factor +1 spell strength +20 PPE each round +30 PPE / lvl every 6 hrs recover 20 PPE per half hour x3 range, duration and damage | +2 vs magic and horror factor +1 spell strength +20 PPE each round +15 PPE / lvl every 6 hrs recover 20 PPE per half hour x2 range, duration, damage | +2 vs magic and horror factor +1 spell strength +20 PPE each round recover 20 PPE per half hour x2 range, duration, damage | +2 vs magic and horror factor +1 spell strength +20 PPE each round recover 20 PPE per half hour Increased Energy at Midday and Midnight
| x2 per-round bonus for 1 min on both ley lines and nexus | +20 PPE / lvl 5% chance of a small Rift x2 per-round bonus for 1 min on both ley lines and nexus | +10 PPE / lvl x2 per-round bonus for 1 min on both ley lines and nexus
| x2 per-round bonus for 1 min on both ley lines and nexus
| Increased Energy at Vernal Equinox
| x2 per-round bonus during day | x4 per-round bonus for 1 min at dawn, noon, sunset +100 PPE / lvl during the day 50% / 30% of small/full Rift per hour x2 per-round bonus during day | x4 per-round bonus for 1 min at dawn, noon, sunset +50 PPE / lvl during the day 15% chance of small Rift / hour x2 per-round bonus during day | x4 per-round bonus for 1 min at dawn, noon, sunset 15% chance of small Rift at dawn, noon, sunset x2 per-round bonus for 1 min at dawn, noon, sunset | 10% chance of small Rift at dawn, noon, sunset Increased Energy at Autumnal Equinox
| x2 per-round bonus during night | x4 per-round bonus for 1 min at sunset, midnight, dawn +100 PPE / lvl during the night 50% / 30% of small/full Rift/hr x2 per-round bonus during night | x4 per-round bonus for 1 min at sunset, midnight, dawn +50 PPE / lvl during the night 15% chance of small Rift / hour x2 per-round bonus during night | x4 per-round bonus for 1 min at sunset, midnight, dawn 15% chance of small Rift at sunset, midnight, dawn x2 per-round bonus for 1 min at sunset, midnight, dawn | 10% chance of small Rift at sunset, midnight, dawn Increased Energy at Summer and Winter Solstice
| x2 per-round bonus for 24 hrs | x4 per-round bonus for 5 min at dawn, noon, sunset, midnight +100 PPE / lvl during 24 hrs 80% / 40% of small/full Rift/hr +300 PPE / lvl at dawn 100% / 70% of small / full Rift at dawn +200 PPE / lvl at sunset 95% / 55% of small / full Rift at sunset x2 per-round bonus for 24 hrs | x4 per-round bonus for 5 min at dawn, noon, sunset, midnight +50 PPE / lvl during 24 hrs 20% chance of small Rift / hour +150 PPE / lvl at dawn 60% / 35% of small / full Rift at dawn +100 PPE / lvl at sunset 50% / 25% of small / full Rift at sunset x2 per-round bonus for 24 hrs | x4 per-round bonus for 5 min at dawn, noon, sunset, midnight 15% chance of small Rift at noon, sunset +300 PPE (shared) at dawn 50% chance of small Rift at dawn +150 PPE (shared) at sunset 25% chance of small Rift at sunset x2 per-round bonus for 5 min at dawn, noon, sunset, midnight | 10% chance of small Rift at noon, sunset +150 PPE (shared) at dawn 33% chance of small Rift at dawn +75 PPE (shared) at sunset 15% chance of small Rift at sunset Increased Energy during Lunar Eclipses
| x2 per-round bonus for 90 min | +400 PPE / lvl for 90 min 100% / 77% of small / full Rift x2 per-round bonus for 90 min | +200 PPE / lvl for 90 min 70% / 35% of small/full Rift x2 per-round bonus for 90 min | +400 PPE (shared) at peak, lasts for 1 min 50% / 25% of small / full Rift x2 per-round bonus for 90 min | +200 PPE (shared) at peak, lasts for 1 min 35% chance of small Rift Increased Energy during Solar Eclipses and Celestial Events
| x10 range, duration, damage | +6 vs magic and horror factor x3 per-round bonus for 2d4 min +1,000 PPE / lvl for 2d4 min recover 50 PPE per minute 100% / 88% of small / full Rift x5 range, duration, damage | +6 vs magic and horror factor x3 per-round bonus for 2d4 min +500 PPE / lvl for 2d4 min recover 30 PPE per minute 90% / 40% of small / full Rift x3 range, duration, damage | +6 vs magic and horror factor x3 per-round bonus for 2d4 min +800 PPE (shared) for 1 min recover 30 PPE per minute 80% / 30% of small / full Rift x3 range, duration, damage | +6 vs magic and horror factor x3 per-round bonus for 2d4 min +600 PPE (shared) for 1 min recover 20 PPE per minute 50% chance of small Rift |
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Periodically, mystic energy will rip through the fabric of reality, creating a transitional place of power. These locations vary in size, but are generally about (1d4 x 1d4 x 1d4 x 1d4) feet in radius. There are likely to be 1d3-1 places of power per 10,000 square miles (100 x 100 miles), though some areas are more concentrated, with perhaps 2d4 per 10,000 square miles. Most will be relatively weak, and/or present only periodically, others may be consistently powerful.
| 01-50 | Equal to a ley line but without any surges
51-66
| Equal to a ley line with standard surges |
67-90
| Equal to a nexus point but without any surges |
91-95
| Equal to a nexus point with standard surges |
96-100
| Cyclic Places of Power: roll 1d100 four times, once for each of the following sub-tables. |
* When a random Rift opens, treat it as per a nexus event. A specific Rift indicates the portal always goes to the same destination, and generally some creature (often evil, of course!) will come through and visit Earth until the final eruption, when it will attempt to return to its world. The creature will know the cycle and be prepared to come through in each occurence. |
A small rift will remain open for 2d4 rounds times the roll of a d100. To see what, if anything, comes through, roll percentile on the following tables:
| 01-75 | Nothing comes through
76-90
| A minor entity comes through (40% stay near site and leave before it closes, 60% wander around Earth) |
91-95
| A major entity comes through (20% stay near site and leave as it closes, 80% wander around Earth) |
96-100
| One, or several, beings who were randomly using dimensional teleport arrive. Roll on the full rifts table for creatures (the final sub-table) instead. | |
A full rift is a rare occurence for most worlds, but not unheard of. And on some, like Rifts Earth, they are not nearly as rare as most residents would like. :) They most often occur during eclipses and similar events. The full rift will normally only remain open for 4d4 minutes, but there is a 10% of it remaining open for 1d10 hours. If it remains open for more than 1 hour, roll again on the following table once per hour.
| 01-50 | Nothing comes through
51-80
| An entity comes through (30% stay near site and leave before it closes, 70% wander around Earth) |
81-00
| A creature comes through (10% stay near site and leave before it closes, 90% wander the Earth) |
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This page is copyright © 1998 by Jim Stoner
Last Modified July 11, 1998