Creating a character as legendary (and overpowered) as Karl Edward Wagner’s Kane for Sword of Cepheus 2nd Edition requires treating him as a "Heroic" or "Legendary" level character. In the Cepheus system, a typical starting character has attributes ranging from 2–12, but Kane is an immortal who has mastered nearly every discipline over millennia.
Below are the suggested stats, traits, and skills for Kane, modeled after his portrayal as a left-handed, red-haired giant with the intellect of a polymath and the brutality of a butcher.
Kane: The Mystic Swordsman
Age: 2,500+ (Appears 40s) | Career: Barbarian / Sorcerer / Scholar / Assassin
UPP (Universal Personality Profile): BCBFF6
Characteristics
| Attribute | Score | Modifier | Notes |
| STR (Strength) | 11 (B) | +1 | Massive build; can "rip heads off." |
| DEX (Dexterity) | 12 (C) | +2 | Deceptively fast; master of the left-handed blade. |
| END (Endurance) | 11 (B) | +1 | Cursed immortality; massive hit point pool. |
| INT (Intelligence) | 15 (F) | +3 | Ancient knowledge; master strategist. |
| EDU (Education) | 15 (F) | +3 | Millennia of learning every known science. |
| SOC (Social) | 06 (6) | +0 | Feared and shunned; the mark of a killer. |
Combat & Vitals
Lifeblood: 22 (2x END)
Stamina: 17 (END + Athletics + Rank)
Melee (Blade): +4 (Includes Dex mod + Skill)
Sorcery: +5 (Includes Int mod + Skill)
Key Skills
| Skill | Level | Description |
| Melee Combat (Blade) | 2 | Master of the Carsultyal sword. |
| Sorcery | 2 | Deep understanding of ancient, dark magic. |
| Natural Philosophy | 2 | Mastery of alchemy and ancient technology. |
| Deception | 1 | A master manipulator and strategist. |
| Athletics | 1 | Incredible physical power and climbing. |
| Survival | 1 | Expert at surviving the wasteland. |
| Jack-of-all-Trades | 3 | Due to his age, he can attempt almost any task. |
Traits & Special Abilities
Cursed Immortality: Kane cannot die from natural causes or disease. In game terms, he recovers Lifeblood at double the normal rate. He can only be truly "slain" by the "violence he himself created."
The Killer’s Gaze: Kane has a terrifying presence. Any NPC with a lower Social Standing must pass a Difficulty 8 Willpower/Insight check to maintain eye contact or stand their ground when he is hostile.
Left-Handed Mastery: Kane ignores the usual -2 penalty for using his off-hand (left) and gains a +1 to parry rolls in melee combat.
Ancient Lore: Kane treats all checks related to history, ancient artifacts, or forgotten languages as Routine (+2).
Equipment
The Carsultyal Sword: A massive, two-handed blade (or used one-handed with his high STR). Damage: 3d6+1.
Black Leather Armor: Lightweight but sturdy. Protection: 2.
Satchel of Curios: Contains 1d6 random alchemical components or ancient scrolls.
How to Play Kane in Cepheus
Kane is not a "team player." In Sword of Cepheus, he should be played as a devious polymath. He doesn't hate magic like Conan; he uses it as a tool. If you are the Referee, Kane works best as a patron who sends the players on errands—or a terrifying antagonist who is always three steps ahead of the party's intelligence.
Gemini said
In Sword of Cepheus 2nd Edition, sorcery is often dangerous and taxing. For Kane, magic isn't a flashy "fireball" show; it is a cold, calculated manipulation of the laws of reality, often involving necromancy, cosmic horror, or lost technology.
Because Kane has a high INT and the Ancient Lore trait, he treats Sorcery more like a science than a religion.
Kane’s Sorcery Profile
Sorcery Skill: 2
Casting Modifier: +5 (INT 3 + Skill 2)
Magic Points: 15 (Based on INT)
Selected Spells
Unique Ritual: The Call of the Outer Dark
Kane possesses knowledge of entities that existed before the gods. Once per lunar cycle, he may perform a ritual to summon a Minor Extra-Planar Horror.
Requirements: 1 hour, a sacrifice (or significant bloodletting), and a Hard (10+) Sorcery Check.
Failure: On a natural 2, the entity attacks Kane or remains in the world uncontrolled.
The "Techno-Sorcery" Twist
In Wagner's novels, Kane often finds remnants of "pre-cataclysmic" technology that look like magic to others. In your Sword of Cepheus campaign, you can give him single-use artifacts that mimic higher-level spells:
The Glowing Orb: Acts as a Light spell but is actually a cold-fusion battery.
Vial of the Ancients: A potent chemical stimulant that restores 2d6 Stamina but causes 1 point of STR damage after it wears off.
Ref's Note: Kane rarely uses magic in the heat of a sword fight. He uses it to set the stage before the battle begins, ensuring his victory is inevitable before the first blade is even drawn.
