As charisma is raised or lowered, whether by disease, disfigurement, aging, or artifacts, comeliness should be similarly affected on a point-for-point basis (a loss of one point of charisma equals one point of comeliness equally lost).

 

In addition to the adjustment to comeliness based on charisma score, characters of certain races must take an additional adjustment to their comeliness scores. This racial adjustment applies only when the reaction of the charters of other races is concerned, in similar fashion to the way that racial adjustments for charisma apply only to these of other races. The penalties and bonuses are:

 

* Treat these pairs as being of the same race for purposes of effective comeliness; e.g., Halflings are just as attractive (or repulsive) to humans as humans are to each other, and vice versa.

 

Comeliness will have the following effects on creatures of human sort. (This category includes, but is not necessarily limited to, humans, demi-humans, humanoids, giant-class, and bipedal creatures of human-like form and motivation).

 

-16 or lower: Those viewing a character with comeliness this low are repulsed and horrified, so as to turn away or attempt to destroy the creature so offensive to the sight. If the individual with low comeliness is powerful, the reaction will tend toward escape, or reinforcement of previously determined awe (horror) reaction/ If both viewer and creature are both of evil alignment, the effect is that of a positive comeliness of the same total.

 

-15 to –9: Disgust, evidenced by a tendency to look away, revile the individual, and acts hostile in general. Under no circumstances will the viewers accept this character unless all are of evil alignment, so that the negative comeliness can be regarded as positive.

 

-8 to 0: Aversion and a desire to be away from so ugly a creature will be evidenced by all viewers. If given an excuse, those near the individual will be hostile and openly aggressive; otherwise they will merely tend toward rejection.

 

+1 to +6: As such an individual is simply ugly, the reaction evidenced will tend toward unease and a desire to get away from such brutishness as quickly as possible. If given the opportunity, the character’s charisma can offset the ugliness, but this requires a fair amount of conversation and interaction to take place.

 

+7 to +9: The homeliness of the individual will be such that initial contact will be of negative sort. This negative feeling will not be strongly evidenced. High charisma will quickly overcome it if any conversation and interpersonal interaction transpires. (Consider a dwarf with 16 charisma and a base comeliness roll of 9; he or she will be a 8 when viewed by all creatures except other dwarves – who will see him or her with comeliness adjusted by +2 for charisma.)

 

+10 to +13: Plain to average comeliness; no effect on the viewer

           

+14 to +17: Interest in viewing the individual is evidenced by those in contact, as he or she is good-looking.

 

The reaction adjustment is increased by a percentage equal to the comeliness score of the character. Individuals of the opposite sex will seek out such characters, and they will be affected as if under a fascinate spell unless wisdom of such individuals exceeds 50% of the characters comeliness total.

           

+18 to +21: The beauty of the character will cause heads to turn and hearts to race. Reaction for initial contact is at a percent equal to 150% of comeliness score. Individuals of the opposite sex will be affected as if under a fascinate spell unless their wisdom exceeds two thirds of the characters comeliness total. Individuals of the same sex will do likewise unless wisdom totals at least 50% of the other characters comeliness score. Rejection of harsh nature can cause the individual rejected to have a reaction as if the character had a negative comeliness of half the actual (positive) score.

           

+22 to +25: The stunning beauty and gorgeous looks of a character with so high a comeliness will be similar to that of those of lesser beauty (17 to21), but individuals will actually flock around the character, follow him or her, and generally behave so foolish or in some manner so as to attract the attention of the character. The reaction adjustment is double the score of comeliness: i.e., 22 comeliness equals +44%. Fascinate-like power is affect all those with wisdom of less than two thirds the comeliness score of the character. If an individual of the opposite sex is actually consciously sought by a character with comeliness of 22-25, that individual will be effectively fascinated unless his or her wisdom is 18 or higher. Rejection is as above.

           

+26 to +30: Unearthly beauty of this sort can be possessed only by creatures from other planes – demi-gods and demi-goddesses and deities of unusual sort. Reaction adjustment is double comeliness score. Fascinate-like power is effective on all except those with wisdom equal to at least 75% of comeliness, except that 19 or higher wisdom always allows a saving throw versus the power. An individual of the opposite sex who is consciously sought by the possessor of such unearthly beauty and comeliness will always be under the “spell” of the individual with such beauty unless he or she has wisdom of 20 or more.

           

The fascinate-like power of high comeliness is similar to the 2nd-level illusionist spell of the same name. Those subject to the power will be captivated by the user, and treat him or her as a trusted friend, mentor, and companion. A saving throw versus spell will negate the effect but if the comeliness is not magical in nature, then dispel magic, anti-magic spells, and similar spells will not affect the fascination effect.

           

Fascinated creatures will follow the orders of characters with high comeliness, provided a roll of 3D6 does not exceed the comeliness of the character. Requested that are not in the best interest of the creature get a +1 to the die, while those that are hazardous can gain up to +6 or higher on the die roll. If the roll is higher than the user’s comeliness, the fascinate-effect is broken.

           

If a once fascinated creature has been badly treated and breaks free of his enrapturement, the creature will react as if the characters comeliness was a negative amount. If the creature has been well treated, it may still be friendly to the character even after the fascinate has worn off.

           

The effect of one’s comeliness upon others is temporary: once a character is known to the other characters or creatures, its effect is negated, and charisma is used to determine reactions and followers. In this way characters of high comeliness and low charisma may attract interest, but not long-term followers and allies (beauty being only skin deep).

           

The effects of the fascinate power do not affect the abilities of the individual with respect to fighting, casting of spells, etc., and in no way reduces the subject character to a zombie-like state, a puppet for the high-comeliness character. Actions performed by a character while fascinated may affect alignment (though they would have a good addition to the comeliness check, say +3 or +4).

               

Magic can mildly and temporarily affect the comeliness of a creature. Illusion-based spells such as change self and alter self will raise or lower comeliness by a maximum of 1 point, no matter what the final form is. Illusions of characters or creatures with high comeliness are effective only for a single round, as the nature of the fascinate is such that the character affected concentrates more fullly on the illusion, weakening its effectiveness. Polymorphed figures raise or lower comeliness by 2 points from the original, due to subtle social clues that are not visual but still perceived, while shapechange confers full comeliness effects of the final form.