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Lithomunda is a homemade, non-official, adaptation of the game Necromunda, for which the rules can be downloaded freely on the Games Workshop's official website. I let you read the original document to learn the rules, to be concentrated on the campaign aspect and the historical background.

Here comes a taste before the release of the document. I'm looking for some readers who will be patient with my english... All illustrations come from my wife, a really great job !

For the miniatures, you can prepare your orders at Copplestone, HLBS and Pulp Figures !


Presentation
 
The Middle Paleolithic, ice age that spanned from 300,000 to 30,000 years BC, is a dangerous period where men must fight to survive into a hostile nature. Peoples are grouping in clans to explore, travel and feed. Each clan includes generally members of the same family, which are representative of a particular hominid species, with its own aptitudes, its own traditions and its own identity. The loyalty of each member goes to his clan, and then to ones who are like him, that is to say to members of the same species. It's the period where the Homo Erectus leaves place to the Neanderthals and the Cro-Magnons.

Although from one species to another the social organization can vary, the clan always regroups a handful of hunters-warriors, ready to assure the protection of their closes. Made up with the most experimented, the strongest, the bravest or the cleverest men, these groups of hunters-warriors fight for the possession of a territory, the appropriation of a prey or simply to become the dominant clan of the region.

These groups of hunters-warriors are lead by seasoned men, the elders of the clan, who know the region and dangers of its environment. These men are respected for their knowledge and their talents, as well as members of their clan than their rivals. Only bravest warriors, skillful enough to survive a long time, receive the honor to become an elder.

As exploitation of natural resources is still in its early days, some men are sometime sent by their clan for barter goods or food. The barter is the only form of trade and the food, dried up or grilled or even on legs, is the only currency. Thus, the "yummy" is a prehistoric unit of valor, subjective and kept under the appreciation of the two parts, for exchange of goods. The traveling "traders" moves from clan to clan to barter different types of resources, worked goods or exotic foods, making hazardous the supplies. Only link between the communities, the traveling trader is generally welcome, whatever species he comes from.

Few clans are sedentary. The majority migrates along territories on its domination, function of the seasons, the moves of the hunted cattle or danger presented by other clans. The discovery of new fertile zones or other adapted place for the wintering comes generally with bitter fights between clans to have the best places. In this context, all occasion is an excuse for fighting. Accidental meetings are not uncommon, especially when the hunters-warriors try to bring back food for the clan while their rivals share the same territory. More the resources are plentiful, more the clans will be determined and bloody will be the combats.

During these episodes of violence, clans fight constantly between them. Inevitably, it comes that wounded warriors falls in the hands of their rivals. Few rules governs the comportment between clans, but survive is hard, so it's generally admit that killing in cold blood is unacceptable. Instead, captives are used like workforce or swapped with clan members themselves captured. According with the importance of a captive, this swap can go with other goods.

Choosing a clan

 
Before begin to play at Lithomunda, your must select your group of hunters-warriors. A group can be chose in the four species describe bellow. The miniatures at your disposal must reflect, in particular by their outfit, chooses that you did for your group.

A group of hunters-warriors can include up to ten members, all from the same clan and so, from the same species. To select your group, check the list of recruitment of clans at the end of this chapter. This list gives the cost to recruit and to fit out the different warriors. You have a total of 500 Yummies  to select your group.

THE SPECIES
 
Homo Erectus
Homo Erectus is the older species of Lithomunda. The last members of this species can be found generally in Asia, but other clans try desperately to complete with more developed species, to assure their survival. This situation and their natural aptitudes make the Homo Erectus strong and aggressive characters.

Neanderthals
Appear in Europe, Neanderthal is in middle way from Homo Erectus and Cro-Magnon. He allies in the same time force of the first to a faculty of reasoning comparable of the second. That make that Neanderthal, who try to extend to the Middle East and North Africa, is viewed like a serious concurrent by the other species.

Cro-Magnons
Cro-Magnon prefigures what will be the modern man. If his faculty of reasoning is more developed than other species, it's to the detriment of his primary instinct and his brute strength. This species find its origins in Africa, from where it migrate slowly to Europe and Asia, that is not without causing clashes in the other species that it crosses on its way.

Amazons
Amazons are not really a species, but rather the consequence of the cultural evolution of some clans, who became matriarchal societies, ruled by women. The Amazon clans are grouping principally Cro-Magnons, but Neanderthals are not excluded. The Amazon warriors conciliate intelligence and agility in the fight, which force the respect for warriors of other clans.


THE WARRIORS
 
You can choose between four types of warriors : elder, heavy, hunter and geek.

The elders
The elders are the older warriors, having the most experience and wisdom in the clan. Your group of warriors must be lead by one ou more elders. Your group can count as many as you want, but must at least have one elder. However, your group cannot include more than a half of its members in elders.

The heavies
The warriors that are tallest, strongest and more talented for combat are named heavies. They have generally already done some fights and the elders appreciate their experience in this domain. But these competences are rare: your group of warriors cannot include more than three heavies.

The hunters
Men in age for fighting make the skeleton of the group of hunters-warriors. They are not always the bravest and valorous warriors of their clan, but they are faithful in their elders and motivated by the necessity to protect their closes.

The geeks
Warriors who are more granted on the intellectual plan are named geeks. They are easily recognizable because they are generally the puniest, but also the craftiest of their clan. The elders appreciate geeks for their specific aptitudes, especially in the "technical" domain. But the cruel environment lets few place for weakest characters: your group of warriors cannot count more than three geeks.